IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Cutler, of Millwall, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Cutler at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1878.
SAMUEL CUTLER, of Millwall, in the County of Middlesex.
APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention has reference to the mouth-picces of gas retorts, and has for its
object the production of means for the prevention of undue strain upon the retorts
consequent upon the mouth-pieces overhanging the retorts, the weight being
ordinarily sustained simply by the bolts that connect the retorts and mouth-pieces
together.
The Invention consists in fixing to the buck-staves a cast-iron bracket or brackets
sufficiently long to reach a little beyond the centre of the bottom of the lowest and
nearest retort. That part of the bracket immediately below the mouth-piece is
made with two inclined planes, and between it and the mouth-piece are inserted
two cast-iron blocks, the bottoms of which have also inclined planes. These blocks
have each a hole into or through which a screwed bolt is passed, and upon turning
the nut or head of the screw the blocks are brought together and made to take a
bearing upon the bracket, and by virtue of their bottoms and the upper parts of
the bracket having inclined surfaces, the two blocks as they approach rise and wedge
themselves under the mouth-piece, thus relieving the strain upon the retort by
affording another and independent support. Instead of a bracket, a pillar resting
on the floor and having its upper part fashioned in the manner before described
may be used to support the lowest retort; or the bracket may be extended from
one buck-stave to the next so as to form a girder upon which projections with inclined
surfaces may be formed, as before mentioned. The upper retorts are supported by

page_text: saddles fixed to the next lowest retorts, the said saddles in some cases being
connected together by bridge-pieces. Each of the saddles however is made with a
doubly inclined surface so as to take the blocks and screw before mentioned and
conjointly render the needed support.
Instead of having the brackets made with two inclined surfaces, one only may be
used, and in that case one block only will be needed to each bracket, the bolt being
made to pass through both the bracket and block.
It will be observed that as the blocks are adjustable, special castings for meeting
any slight variation in distance that may exist between one retort over another are
not necessary.
The brackets or lowest support may be made of wrought iron if preferred, and
the blocks may be made of any suitable metal or material.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Cutler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th April
1879.
SAMUEL CUTLER, of Millwall, in the County of Middlesex.
APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention has reference to the mouth-pieces of gas retorts, and has for its
object the production of means for the prevention of undue strain upon the retorts
consequent upon the mouth-pieces overhanging the retorts, the weight being
ordinarily sustained simply by the bolts that connect the retorts and mouth-pieces
together.
The Invention consists in fixing to the buck-staves a cast-iron bracket or brackets
sufficiently long to reach a little beyond the centre of the bottom of the lowest and
nearest retort. That part of the bracket immediately below the mouth-piece is
made with two inclined planes, and between it and the mouth-piece are inserted
two cast-iron blocks, the bottoms of which have also inclined planes. These blocks
have each a hole into or through which a screwed bolt is passed, and upon turning
the nut or head of the screw the blocks are brought together and made to take a
bearing upon the bracket, and by virtue of their bottoms and the upper parts of the
bracket having inclined surfaces the two blocks as they approach rise and wedge
themselves under the mouth-piece, thus relieving the strain upon the retort by
affording another and independent support. Instead of a bracket a pillar resting on
the floor and having its upper part fashioned in the manner before described may
be used to support the lowest retort, or the bracket may be extended from one buck-
stave to the next so as to form a girder upon which projections with inclined surfaces
may be forined, as before mentioned. The upper retorts are supported by saddles
resting on the next lowest retorts, the said saddles in some cases being connected
together by bridge picces. Each of the saddles however is made with a doubly
inclined surface so as to take the blocks and screw before mentioned and conjointly
render the needed support.
Instead of having the brackets made with two inclined surfaces, one only may be
used, and in that case one block only will be needed to each bracket, the bolt being
made to pass through both the bracket and block.
It will be observed that as the blocks are adjustable, special castings for meeting
any slight variation in distance that may exist between one retort over another are
not necessary.
The brackets or lowest support may be made of wrought iron if preferred, and
the blocks may be made of any suitable metal or material.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood, Drawings are attached
hcreto, of which the following is a description. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of
setting of retorts; Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation of a saddle with two
blocks; and Fig. 3 is a side sectional elevation of a modification of the same where
one adjustable block only is used. In Fig. 1, A, A, are the buck-staves; B is a
bracket bolted to the buck-staff and obtaining support from it, while C is a bracket
that rests upon the foundation or pier to carry it, the upper part being fashioned so
as to serve as a shoo and receive the buck-staff. The extremities of each of these
brackets are formed in the same manner as the saddles exhibited in Figs. 2 or 3.
D, D, are the saddles, and E, E, the blocks before alluded to. In order to support
the upper retorts a girder F that bears upon the middle retorts is provided, and has
inclined planes and blocks the same as the saddles. In Fig. 2 G is the bottom of
the mouth-piece; H, its flange; I, the retort; and J, the front wall of the bench;
D is the saddle; and E, E, the blocks which are adjusted by drawing them together
by the bolt and nut K. In Fig. 3 the saddle D has only one inclined plane L and
and one block E, the adjustment is effected however in exactly the same manner as
that just explained.

page_text: Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention,
and the manner in which the saine is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details
or arrangements I have described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention, but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of
appliances consisting of brackets, saddles, blocks, bolts, and girders for supporting
retort mouth-pieces, as herein described, and shown on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Cutler, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.