IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL FURNACES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of
Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL FURNACES."
-A communication from Eugen Langen, Manufacturer, residing
at Cologne, on the Rhine, in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th July 1874.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency,
of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL FURNACES;"
(a communication) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates more particularly to improvements in charcoal
furnaces known as the system Langen, and consists in improved arrange-
ments for automatically and mechanically emptying the cooling tubes of
such furnaces.

page_text: Apparatus for removing animal charcoal out of the cooling tubes of
animal charcoal burning furnaces have until now only been used for
cooling tubes of an almost square vertical section, and not too much
extended in breadth.
The improvements to which this Invention relates consist in rendering
the mechanical removing applicable also to furnaces with flat and chest-
like cooling tubes, having the same breadth as the furnace itself.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood I will explain
how the charcoal is removed from the furnaces now in use. The removal
of the charcoal is effected by hand. The upper sliding cover of a cooling
tube is shut and the lower part open, so that the portion of coal which
lies between the sliding covers falls away; then the lower sliding cover
is shut and the upper opened, and this proceeding is repeated at certain
intervals. As the cooling tubes which are next the fire-grate give the
greatest quantity of coals the space between the upper and lower sliding
covers is greater than that of the following cooling tubes.
The improved arrangement for automatically or mechanically removing
charcoal out of cooling tubes of the before-described kind to which this
Invention relates consists in dispensing with the lower sliding cover and
fastening the cooling tubes by means of bolts on to suitable bearers.
These bearers are screwed on to lateral bearers, which are supported by
the pillars and brickwork of the furnace. Below these bearers there is
placed a moveable plate provided with two slits, suspended by means of
lateral pieces on antifriction rollers. The rollers bear on projecting ribs
of the before-mentioned lateral bearers. The lateral pieces suspending
the moveable plates are connected by rods to a small hydraulic engine,
which gives movement to the lateral pieces and the plate, the rollers
reducing the friction to a minimum.
If the plate is moved, say to the right hand, a quantity of coal corre-
sponding to the extent of the movement is carried out of the cooling
tube, which quantity remains on the plate as the plate moves back. If
after several movements to and fro sufficient coal is collected that it
reaches the slits in the plate, the coal by the back movement falls off,
and at every stroke as much more falls off the plate as is forwarded by
the movement of the plate. By regulating the stroke the quantity of
coal falling off the plate can be diminished or increased.

page_text: In order that according to the distance of the cooling tubes from the
grate a different quantity of coal can be removed a thin plate of sheet
iron is fitted, and according to the higher or lower position of this plate
the space between its lower edge and the travelling plate becomes larger
or smaller, in consequence whereof a greater or less quantity of coal falls
out of the tubes.
The burnt coal falls into cases placed below, and when the cases are
removed the upper sliding cover of the tubes is closed until other cases
are placed below, or when the coal is shovelled away from the plate the
upper slider may be dispensed with altogether.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frank-
fort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frank Wirth, Her special licence
that I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CHARCOAL FURNACES," a communication from Eugen Langen, Manufacturer,
a person resident at Cologne, on the Rhine, in the Empire of Germany,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frank Wirth,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe

page_text: and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the.
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frank Wirth, do hereby declare.
the nature of the said 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 more particularly to improvements in charcoal
furnaces known as the system Langen, and consists in improved arrange-
ments for automatically and mechanically emptying the cooling tubes of
such furnaces.
Apparatus for removing animal charcoal out of the cooling tubes of
animal charcoal burning furnaces have until now only been used for
cooling tubes of an almost square vertical section, and not too much
extended in breadth.
The improvements to which this Invention relates consist in rendering
the mechanical removing applicable also to furnaces with flat and chest-
like cooling tubes, having the same breadth as the furnace itself.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood I will explain
how the charcoal is removed from the furnaces now in use. The removal
of the charcoal is effected by hand. The upper sliding cover of a cooling.
tube is shut and the lower part open, so that the portion of coal which
lies between the sliding cover falls away; then the lower sliding cover
is shut and the upper opened, and this proceeding is repeated at certain
intervals. As the cooling tubes which are next the fire-grate give the
greatest quantity of coals, the space between the upper and lower sliding
covers is greater than that of the following cooling tubes.
The improved arrangement for automatically or mechanically removing
charcoal out of cooling tubes of the before-described kind, to which this
Invention relates, consists in dispensing with the lower sliding cover and
fastening the cooling tubes by means of bolts on to suitable bearers.
These bearers are screwed on to lateral bearers, which are supported by
the pillars and brickwork of the furnace. Below these bearers there is
placed a moveable plate provided with two slits, suspended by means of
lateral pieces on antifriction rollers. The rollers bear on projecting ribs
-

page_text: of the before-mentioned lateral bearers. The lateral pieces suspending
the moveable plates are connected by rods to a small hydraulic engine,
which gives movement to the lateral pieces and the plate, the rollers
reducing the friction to a minimum.
If the plate is moved to the right hand a quantity of coal corre-
sponding to the extent of the movement is carried out from the cooling
tube, which quantity remains on the plate as the plate moves back. If
after several movements to and fro sufficient coal is collected that it
reaches the slits in the plate, the coal by the back movement falls off,
and at every stroke as much more falls off the plate as is forwarded by
the movement of the plate. By regulating the stroke the quantity of
coal falling off the plate can be diminished or increased.
In order that according to the distance of the cooling tubes from the
grate a different quantity of coal can be removed a thin plate of sheet
iron is fitted, and according to the higher or lower position of this plate
the space between its lower edge and the travelling plate becomes larger
or smaller, in consequence whereof a greater or less quantity of coal
falls out of the tubes.
The burnt coal falls into cases placed below, and when the cases are
removed the upper sliding cover of the tubes is closed until other cases
are placed below, or when the coal is shovelled away from the plate the
upper slider may be dispensed with altogether,
In order that this Invention may be better understood and clearly
explained I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings.
Sheet 1 represents a furnace with broad and flat cooling tubes, many
of which are at present in use. The removal of the charcoal from
furnaces thus constructed is effected by hand. The upper sliding cover
of a cooling tube is shut and the lower opened, so that the portion of
coal which lies between the two sliding covers falls away; then the
lower sliding cover is shut and the upper opened, and this proceeding is
repeated at certain intervals. As the cooling tubes which are next the
fire-grate give the greatest quantity of coals the space between the upper
and lower sliding cover is greater than that of the following tubes.
The improved arrangement for automatically or mechanically removing
charcoal out of cooling tubes of the before-described kind, according to

page_text: this Invention, is shown on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings. The
lower sliding cover is dispensed with and the cooling tubes are by means
of bolts fastened on bearers A. The bearers A are screwed on the lateral
bearers B, which are supported by the pillars and brickwork of the
furnace. Below these bearers is placed the moveable plate C provided
with two slits and suspended by means of the lateral pieces E on the
rollers D. The rollers D are carried on projecting ribs of the lateral
bearers B. The lateral pieces E are connected with the rods A, which
are placed before the furnace and connected at their ends to the small
hydraulic machine F. The oscillating movement of the hydraulic 1
apparatus is transmitted by means of the rods a and lateral pieces E to
the plate C. The rollers D reduce the friction to a minimum.
If the plate C is moved to the right hand a quantity of coal corre-
sponding to the extent of the movement is carried out from the cooling
tube, which portion of coal remains on the plate as the plate moves
back. After several movements sufficient coal is collected on the plate
that it reaches the slots and fore edges of the plate O, and the coal then
by the backward movement of the plate falls off. The same action
continues on every forward and backward movement of the plate. By
regulating the stroke the amount of coal falling off the plate can be 2
reduced or increased.
In order that according to the distance of the cooling tubes from the
grate a different quantity of coal can be removed, a thin plate of sheet
iron 6 is fitted. This plate has longitudinal holes, through which pass
the bolts. According to the higher or lower position of this plate the 2
space between the lower edge and the plate C becomes larger or smaller,
in consequence whereof a greater or less quantity of coal falls out from
the tubes.

page_text: for automatically or mechanically emptying charcoal burning furnaces,
as herein-before described and shown in the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four