AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL, SLACK, PEAT, WOOD, BONES, AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO A COKEING PROCESS OR TO DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION, WHEREBY COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ARE OBTAINED AND THE VAPOURS AND GASES UTILIZED
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Nicholas, of Hope, near Mold, in the
County of Flint, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL, SLACK, PEAT, WOOD, BONES, AND OTHER
LIKE MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO A COKEING PROCESS OR TO DESTRUCTIVE
DISTILLATION, WHEREBY COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ARE OBTAINED AND THE
VAPOURS AND GASES UTILIZED."
Sealed the 21st September 1875, and dated the 27th March 1875.
ROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Nicholas at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th March 1875.
I, JAMES NICHOLAS, of Hope, near Mold, in the County of Flint, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL, SLACK, PEAT, WOOD, BONES,
AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO A COKEING PROCESS OR TO DESTRUCTIVE
DISTILLATION, WHEREBY COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ARE OBTAINED AND THE VAPOURS
AND GASES UTILIZED," to be as follows:-
In carrying out my Invention I use an apparatus being an oven,

page_text: chamber, or vessel made of fire-brick, iron, or other suitable material,
or a combination of iron and fire-brick. The said chamber is provided
with a range of fire-bars at the bottom thereof, or the bottom of the
chamber is provided with openings in lieu of the fire-bars. Dampers
are affixed to the bottom of the chamber so arranged as to regulate the
admission of air, and the bars or bottom of the chamber are constructed
so that they can be dropped or opened in such a manner as to allow of
the contents of the chamber to fall out. On the top of the chamber
there are apertures capable of being opened or closed at will, and to one
of these apertures there is connected a pipe which leads to a condenser.
The condenser is connected to a purifier, and the purifier is connected
to an exhausting force pump. This pump propels the incondensible
gases to where they are to be stored or utilized. When the gases do
not require purification the purifier can be dispensed with. Attached
to the condenser is a pump to free it from the condensed products.
The process of operation is as follows:-The oven, chamber, or vessel
being charged with the material to be acted upon the material is ignited
at the bottom. The combustion is regulated by the dampers, all the
apertures on the top of the chamber being closed but the one com-
municating with the exhaust and force pump. The action of the force
pump draws away the vapours and gases generated by the ignition of
the charge, the said gases passing through the mass disengage other
vapours and gases in their passage, which are drawn by the pump
through the condenser, and through the purifier if necessary, and the
incondensible gases are forced to where they are required.
When cokeing coal or slack is the process, or when wood, peat, or
bones are being carbonized for their charcoal, the pump is stopped at
a certain part of the process, the aperture leading to it being closed; the
other apertures are opened, and the charge is thereby allowed to ignite
throughout. At a time determined by the experience of the operator
the bottom or bars of the oven, chamber, or vessel are dropped or
opened, and the charge under treatment is allowed to fall out into
chambers provided for that purpose.
If vapours and gases are the only objects sought the pump works
L

page_text: By the beforegoing process and apparatus I obtain from coal, slack,
and like substances coke, hydrocarbon oils, ammoniacal liquor, carbon-
ated hydrogen, and carbonic oxide gases.
From wood, peat, and like substances I obtain charcoal, hydrocarbon
oils, acetic acid, and carbonated hydrogen and carbonic acid gases.
"
From bones I obtain animal charcoal, bone ash, oil known as
dipples," or bone oil, ammoniacal water, ammonia salts, combustible
gases.
The coke, charcoal, animal charcoal, and bone ash can be applied to
all uses known for such articles. The oils, ammoniacal liquor, and
salts likewise.
The gases I propose to use for the generation of heat and light, and
particularly for use in the reduction of metals from their ores.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Nicholas in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
NICHOLAS, of Hope, near Mold, in the County of Flint, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Nicholas, Her special licence
that I, the said James Nicholas, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Nicholas, 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 "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL, SLACK, PEAT, WOOD, BONES,
AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO A COKEING PROCESS OR TO DESTRUCTIVE
DISTILLATION, WHEREBY COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ARE OBTAINED AND THE VAPOURS

page_text: AND GASES UTILIZED," upon the condition (amongst ouCTS) at 1,
said James Nicholas, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should.
particularly describe 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Nicholas, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
In carrying out my Invention I use an apparatus being an oven,
chamber, or vessel made of fire-brick, iron, or other suitable material,
or a combination of iron and fire-brick. The said chamber is provided
with a range of fire-bars at the bottom thereof, or the bottom of the
chamber is provided with openings in lieu of the fire-bars. Dampers
are affixed to the bottom of the chamber, so arranged as to regulate the
admission of air, and the bars or bottom of the chamber are constructed
so that they can be dropped or opened in such a manner as to allow of
the contents of the chamber to fall out. On the top of the chamber
there are apertures capable of being opened or closed at will, and to one
of these apertures there is connected a pipe which leads to a condenser.
The condenser is connected to a purifier, and the purifier is connected
to an exhausting and force pump. This pump propels the incondensible
gases to where they are to be stored or utilized. When the gases do not
require purification the purifier can be dispensed with. Attached to
the condenser is a pump to free it from the condensed products.
In order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I have
hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters and figures
of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation
:―
The Sheet of Drawings is attached for the purpose of showing how
my Invention may be put into practical effect, but it will be evident
that various modifications and deviations from the apparatus, as shown,
may be used.
Figure 1 illustrates an oven, chamber, or vessel made of fire-brick, or
other suitable material, or a combination of iron and fire-brick. The
chamber A is provided with a range of fire-bars B, or in lieu of the fire-

page_text: The
bars the chamber is provided with a door or bottom pierced with
suitable openings for the admission of air, such openings being made
through the side of the oven, or through the bottom of the oven.
bottom of the oven or chamber is also provided with dampers to regulate
the admission of air through the fire-bars, or through the said openings.
The fire-bars B, or the bottom of the oven or chamber are constructed
so that they can be dropped, withdrawn, or opened, to allow the contents
of the oven or chamber A to fall into a second chamber C. The
materials to be subjected to the cokeing or destructive distillation are
fed through the mouth D of the oven or chamber A, which mouth or
opening D is capable of being closed by a cone, damper, or other con-
trivance E. At the top of the oven or chamber A there is connected a
pipe F, which pipe leads to a condenser G, Figure 2, which condenser
may be of any known construction. The condenser communicates with
a purifier of known construction, and the purifier is connected to an
exhausting and force pump H, Figure 3, which pump propels tho
incondensible gases to where they are to be stored or utilized, namely,
to a reservoir, gasometer, or otherwise. When the gases do not require
purification the purifier can be dispensed with, and the pump I then
exhausts the gases direct from the condenser G. Attached to the con-
denser G is a pump K to free the condenser from the condensed

page_text: When cokeing coal or slack is the process, or when wood, peat, or
bones are being carbonized for their charcoal, the exhausting and force
pump His stopped at a certain part of the process, the aperture in
connection with the pipe F and leading to the condenser G being closed;
the other apertures or mouth D of the chamber A are opened, and the
charge is thereby allowed to ignite throughout. At a time determined
by the experience of the operator the bottom or bars B of the oven,
chamber, or vessel A. are dropped or opened, and the charge under
treatment is allowed to fall out into the chamber C provided for that
purpose.
[ If vapours and gases are the only objects sought the pump H works
continuously, and the chamber A is recharged as the material in it is
consumed.
1
By the before-going process and apparatus I obtain from coal, slack,
and like substances, coke, hydrocarbon oils, ammoniacal liquor, car- 1
buretted hydrogen, and carbonic oxide gases.
From wood, peat, and like substances, I obtain charcoal, hydrocarbon
oils, acetic acid, and carburetted hydrogen, and carbonic oxide gases.
"
From bones
obtain animal charcoal, bone ash, oil known as
'dipples," or bone oil, ammoniacal water, ammonia salts, and com- 2
bustible gases.
The coke, charcoal, animal charcoal, and bone ash, can be applied to
all uses known for such articles. The oils, ammoniacal liquor, and salts
likewise.
The gases I propose to use for the generation of heat and light, and 2
particularly for use in the reduction of metals from their ores.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and shown how the same may be put
into practical effect, what I claim as my Invention and secured to me
by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, is,-
Firstly. The method of carbonizing coal, slack, peat, bones, wood,
and other like materials subjected to a cokeing process or to destructive
distillation, whereby commercial products are obtained and vapours and
gases utilized, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described
in the before-going Specification,
30
35

page_text: Secondly. The arrangement and use of apparatus being an oven,
chamber, or vessel, connected to a condenser, purifier, and exhausting
and force pump, whereby the vapours and gases given off from materials
subjected to destructive distillation, or to a cokcing process, are utilized,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes described in the before-
going Specification.
Thirdly. The arrangement and use of apparatus, being an oven,
chamber, or vessel connected to a condenser and exhausting and force
pump, whereby the vapours and gases given off from materials subjected
to destructive distillation, or to a cokeing process, are utilized, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purposes described in the before-
going Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Nicholas, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.