IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CARBONACEOUS, BITUMINOUS, CALCAREOUS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS ORES, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN PRODUCTS THEREFROM AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Aitken, of Falkirk, in the County of Stirling,
North Britain for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CARBONACEOUS,
BITUMINOUS, CALCAREOUS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS ORES, IN ORDER
TO OBTAIN PRODUCTS THEREFROM AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE
EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Aitken at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1882.
MENTS IN TREATING
OTHER
HENRY AITKEN, of Falkirk, in the County of Stirling, North Britain, "IMPROVE-
CARBONACEOUS, BITUMINOUS, CALCAREOUS, AND
SUBSTANCES SUCH AS ORES, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND IN
THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR,"
•
My Invention relates in part to Improvements in treating Coal, Lignito, Shale,
Wood, Peat or Moss, Sawdust, and other carbonaceous or bituminous matter, as
well as calcareous or Cretaceous substances and Sandstone, Ironstone and Limestone
for the production therefrom of Gas, Oil, Tar, Coke, Resins, Sulphur, bitumen and
Ammoniacal liquor, and it further relates to the treating of Coke, Spent Shale, Iron
Ores, and Ores of other metals, for the production of Gas, Sulphur, Arsenic, head
Zinc, and other substances, as well as ammonia. My Invention also relates to the
apparatus used in the practical carrying out of the aforesaid Improvements.
In treating Coal, Lignito, Shale, Wood, Peat or Moss, Sawdust, and other
Carbonaceous, or bituminous, substances for the production of Gas, Oils, Tar, Coke,
and Ammoniacal Water, when the object is to make Coke, I construct an oven or
Chamber very much in shape like that generally known as the "Coppee" oven.―
I prefer to make it wider at the top than at the bottom, only I make it much
higher than the "Coppee" oven and I enclose this Chamber separate from the
flues round it and so make a large retort.-From this retort I lead a pipe which
may have the usual connections employed at Gas works to take the Gases distilled
1
077

page_text: off the substance being treated therein which I condense and scrub so as to
separate from them the Hydro-Carbons and Ammoniacal Water, using for this
purpose all the known means of doing so particularly finishing off this part of the
treatment by washing the Gas with Coal Tars, or Oils, which have been deprived of
Spirit. The Gas is then put to the side flues, or passes between the retorts, and
there burned for fuel. Should the Gas not be in sufficient quantities for the
purpose of Coking the Coal, then I make a Gas generator and use Coal or Coke to
supplement the amount of Gas from the ovens or retorts.-I prefer to heat the air
in pipes, or flues, by applying thereto the waste heat of the products of combustion
after they have passed from heating the retorts. If necessary exhausters are used
to draw the gases from the retorts and force them through the condensers, scrubbers,
and absorbers, and then in between and below the Retorts where they are
consumed. When it is desired to use the Gas for illuminating purposes I treat the
Gases in the same Manner as they are treated in Gas Works.-These retorts have
a small door behind and a large one in front and both these doors have very thick
brickwork. When the ovens are drawn by means of the hand, or by means of
teeth, or claws, or an endless chain, one door only is required, but when they are
drawn or emptied by means of an iron or metal wedge a small door is required at
the back. This metal wedge is made to a point at the one end and gradually
thickening to the back say for example at an angle of about 1 in 6 and at the
back an upright bar is placed or welded. When this is pushed over the floor of
the oven, or retort, the Coke is lifted up and the wedge is then pushed still farther
until it and all the Coke is out of the retort when the Coke is watered or cooled
down.
In place of making the oven of the shape herein stated it may be made the same
shape as the ".
Appolt" oven and gases taken therefrom treated and burned as
hereinbefore described.
Superheated steam may be passed through the Carbonaceous matter to assist in
carrying off the ammonia.
The "Coppee" oven is defective in respect that it is always under tension of
draught or exhaust and so coal is consumed and often the heat is not high enough
for the purpose required.
I propose remedying these two defects by means of forcing the air into the flues
where the gas is burned through small holes pointing downwards and keeping the
oven always under a slight pressure.-The air may be forced, drawn, or beated in
the manner set forth in the Specification filed in pursuance of Letters Patent
granted to me the said Henry Aitken No 57 A.D. 1874.-In place of using the
Gases here mentioned for heating the oven, Blast Furnace or other Gases may be
used.
The Second part of my said Invention relates to "improvements in treating Coal
carbonaceous and bituminous substances for the production of Gas, Oils, Tar, Coke,
Resin, Sulphur, bitumen or Asphaltum and Ammoniacal liquor.-When the main
object is to obtain the gas, oils, tar, sulphur, and ammoniacal water and convert
the Coke or residue into Gas for heating purposes I construct two or more chambers
which I prefer to stand upright, one of these chambers having been filled with coal
I kindle the same at the bottom and apply an exhaust or a blast of air heated, or
cold, to draw or drive out the volatile matters which I allow to pass off, or I
condense by passing the same through condensers, scrubbers, washers, and absorbers
I then open a valve or cock which is connected to another chamber or tower and
close the valve or cock connecting to the outside air or to the condensers and
partly open another valve or cock connecting to the pipe by which the hard or
permanent or carbonic oxide gas or products of combustion of the coke only are
allowed to pass off to be utilized.-The second chamber being filled with coal, or
other substance, I force or draw a portion (or the whole) of the hard hot gas down
through the coal in the second chamber and so drive out the tar, oil water, and
other constituents which I condense, wash, and absorb so as to obtain all that is in
them. The gas may then be purified by any of the means presently known and

page_text: used separately for illuminating or other purposes or it may be mixed with the hard
gases and used for heating purposes.-The gases after being deprived of the tar
water and other condensible products may also be dried by passing them through
dry lime or chloride of calcium or other absorber of vapour. So soon as all the
Hydrocarbon and ammoniacal gases are drawn off I close the valve leading to
chamber Number 1, and the valve to the condensers and open the valve to
chamber number 3, and force or draw air in at the bottom of chamber Number 2,
and open the valve connecting to the pipe through which the hard gas passes and
thus the process goes on or the chambers or towers may be worked alternately.—
The allowing of the gases to pass into the air takes place only at the beginning and
is not repeated.-The bottoms of the chambers may be constructed with doors in
the bottom or sides for cleaning out the ash or they may be formed with moveable
bottoms on hydraulic rams or other arrangements as specified according to the
provisions of the said Patent by the said Henry Aitken No 57 A.D. 1874, or the
ash or residue may be reduced to a cinder or slag and if necessary lime, or lime-
shells, clay, blast furnace or malleable or steel work cinder, or other flux may be
added to assist this.
Water, or steam, may be put into the chamber while the hard gas is being made
at the bottom or above the bottom as the process proceeds and superheated steam
may be put in at the top of chamber in which the gases are being taken off for
condensation to assist the gases in their passage through the hot materials to
remove the ammonia.-When it is desired to retain the coke and not consume it in
the chamber, the coke may be cooled down in the chamber or it may be taken out
when hot. In such cases the hard gas is made in separate chambers, or producers,
or blast furnace gases may be used as they come from the same or they may be
passed through hot coke or mixed with a little air and then passed through
carbonaceous matter.
When the chambers are worked with an exhaust and when the air is passing in
the bottom I prefer to construct in the bottom a brick chamber with slots or holes
therein pointing downwards in the centre or middle of which the air ascends and
by means of valves to be operated by rods from the outside I am enabled to
regulate air in any desired quantity and at different levels so that should any of
the lower air holes, slag up I can open the valves to the higher ones and so continue
the operations. When the substances are very rich in bitumen or liquid products
I mix them with bricks, clinkers or the like so as to prevent them getting solid or
too close when the hot gases are passed through.
In place of working the process in this manner I may reverse it and admit air
at the top in place of the bottom and also take the gases off in the reverse manner
to what is herein stated.
The chambers may be made of brick or hooped or lined with iron or they may
be made of iron or other metal and with another covering of metal at a distance
from the first and this space being filled with water I can either use the heated
water for any purpose required or I may raise steam and utilize it.-By this means
all difficulty with ash or clinker is avoided as the ash or clinker or slag comes
freely from the plates of the generator.
Another part of my Invention consists in treating coal, shale, and other
substances and is more particularly applicable to vertical retorts for distilling oil
and other products from shale and coal-It consists of a new kind of upright
retort, the top portion of which is made of firebrick or other refractory material,
either in one piece or built in pieces, to the bottom of this I attach a metal retort
preferably cast-iron.-I support the brick work on a strong metal casting preferably
of cast iron with a hole in it and to this casting I attach or hang the iron retort
preferably the latter. I place the fire for heating the retort at or near the top of
the fire clay retort.-The fire may also be placed in this position with regard to
other vertical or inclined retorts and the products of combustion taken downwards
and I cause the products of combustion to pass down around the iron retort or in
place of a fire I use the gas or heat arising from the spent shale as hereinafter

page_text: mentioned. In either case I prefer to use heated air obtained from the products
of combustion after they have left the retort chamber.-The iron retorts may be of
any known construction and they may either be provided with doors or valves at
the bottom or water sealed.-When the retorts are heated up I charge raw shale
or coal into them and the gases are taken from the bottom of the retorts and
treated by any of the known methods and thereafter used as desired.-Hot steam
is used as at present and when it is desired to make as much ammonia as possible
I take the bottom portion of the spent shale that comes from the retort and put it
on the top of the raw shale which fills the bottom portion of the retort and by the
extra heat so obtained and super-heated steam I get a much higher yield of
ammonia. The retort may also be worked in the usual manner.
The foregoing arrangement is also applicable to retorts that have a water-seal
at the bottom only, the retort is emptied at once and not regularly emptied and
fed as at present.-The gases may be taken off at top or bottom, or when it is not
desired to accomplish the object in this manner I work these upright retorts which
may be of any construction or kind in which the volatile matters are taken down-
wards by means of pipes and cocks or valves connecting the retorts together so
that when the charge in the retort has all or nearly all its volatile matters out I
shut the valve to the condensers which connects to the bottom of the retort, and
open the connection to the top of retort Number 2, at the same time admitting
super-heated steam at the bottom of retort Number 1, and open the connection
from the bottom of retort Number 2, to the condensers, and keep the heat up in
both retorts until I have got as much ammonia as can be obtained, or until the
volatile matter is all or nearly all out of the material in Number 2, retort.-I then
reverse all the connections, and work Number 1, retort in the same way as I have
herein stated the manner of working retort Number 2, and so on with the other
retorts in the series.-The connections may all be reversed, and the gases with the
volatile matters may then be made to ascend in place of to descend or I construct
a chamber of fire-brick or other refractory material or Iron and I fill the same with
spent shale, coke, or fire-bricks and pass the steam through the same to be
heated. This heater may be put in the same place as the retorts and then heated
by the same fire or it may be put in a separate chamber and then heated.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in treating coke and
spent shale from which the whole of the ammonia has not been extracted, and for
this purpose I treat these substances by the same process as I have hereinbefore
described for treating coal and other substances for extracting the liquid products.―
I collect the products by the same manner, and use the hard or incondensible or
permanent gas for any purpose required.-In all cases I may collect the ammonia
by passing the gas through water or over acid or other absorber.
In place of firing each retort, or bench of retorts separately as is done at present,
I prefer putting up generators for making gas at a central point, and carring the
gas to the retorts in pipes and other places where it is to be burned.--These
generators may be of any form or kind presently known or of the form hereinafter
mentioned. When made in the form such as Siemens Generator, I put into them
tubes or rods carrying arms, through which if required water or air is made to pass
so as to keep them cool, which are made to revolve in the hot coke, and so to
expose and burn the coke regularly and to make a regular quality of gas.-This
improvement is applicable to all kinds of gas generators, particularly those where
coking fuel is used.-I prefer to grind or break up the spent shale, or coke, into
small pieces so as to ensure the air getting at the carbon therein and so getting
not only a complete combustion of the carbon but a more regular gas owing to
the air all requiring to come in contact with a large surface of spent shale or coke.
In treating ironstones, or ores, in which are cabonaceous substances I heat them
in chambers in the same manner as I treat coal, and the other substances herein-
before mentioned.-When desired the fixed carbon may be retained in the ore by
taking them out of the chamber, before air has been admitted or air may be
admitted, and the ore reduced to an oxide in the chainber, steam being admitted

page_text: as required to assist the ammonia in coming off.-The gas used to drive out the
volatile matters, may be from the carbonaceous substances which are being reduced
to an oxide in another chamber, or they may be made in a separate chamber from
other substances.
In treating iron and other ores or metals to obtain from them gas, and sulphur,.
arsenic and volatile substances I construct chambers like those hereinbefore
mentioned, and force hot gas through the said ores, and so drive out these sub-
stances. In condensing these gases by cooling them down and passing them
through or over water, oil, fats, grease, tar, lime, or oxide of iron or sulphuric acid,
or through screens, filters, washers filled or covered with fats, tars, oils, gums, and
resins, lime waste, oxide of iron or sulphuric acid, or when they are very sulphurous,
I treat them in the same way as sulphuric acid is made, or I then by any of the
processes presently known sub-lime the sulphur providing chambers, screens, or
their equivalent, to collect the same.
This method of passing gases through oil, grease, tar, fat, to obtain sulphur and
other products may be applied to gases from other furnaces.
In treating blast furnace and other gases produced in the treatment or reduction
of ores, when it is not desired or expedient to cool them down, I pass them at once
over tars, oil, grease, fats, lime, oxide of iron, or other absorbent.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Aitken in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th December
1882.
HENRY AITKEN, of Falkirk, in the County of Stirling, North Britain "IMPROVE
MENTS IN TREATING CARBONACEOUS, BITUMINOUS, CALCAREOUS, AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS ORES, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN PRODUCTS THEREFROM AND IN
THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR"
My said Invention relates in the first place to Improvements in treating coal,
lignite, shale, wood, peat or moss, sawdust, and other carbonaceous and bituminous
matter, as well as calcareous or cretaceous substances and bituminous sandstone,
ironstone, and limestone and the solid or more or less solid portions of sewage or
town refuse for the production therefrom of gas, oil, tar, coke, resins, sulphur,
bitumen and ammoniacal liquor.
My said Invention relates in the second place to the treating of coke, spent
shale (that is to say, the residue of the distillation of shale used in the production
of mineral oils and gas), iron ores and ores of other metals and oil bearing chalks
or limestones from which the hydrocarbons have been taken off and the obtaining
of carbonic oxide or carbonic acid gas, sulphur, arsenic, lead, zinc, mercury, and
other metals and substances as well as ammonia which may be or may not be in
the form of ammoniacal liquor.
My said Invention relates in the third place to certain apparatus used in the
practical carrying out of some of the aforesaid Improvements.
In practising the first head of my Invention for the treating of coal, lignite,
shale, wood, peat or moss, sawdust and other carbonaceous or bituminous substances
for the production of coke gas, oils, tar, and aminoniacal liquor when the object is
more especially to make coke I construct an oven or chamber very much in shape
like that generally known as the "Coppee" oven.-I prefer, however, to make
the improved oven wider at the top than at the bottom and I also make it much
higher than the " Coppee oven and I enclose this' chamber separate from the
surrounding flues instead of being directly connected with the flues as is the
arrangement ordinarily used in the 'Coppee" system and I thereby make each
such chamber virtually a large retort.
دو
For treating coals which do not easily cake I make the said oven very narrow
for example about eight or ten inches in width at the bottom and from twelve to
eighteen inches in width at the top.-The height being about from six to nine
feet, the length from six to eighteen feet.
In place of making the oven in the shape here mentioned it may be made of the
same shape as the "Appolt" oven and worked as a close oven in the same manner
as it is proposed to work ovens of the "Coppee" shape.
During the process of coking I admit superheated steam into the top of the
oven that is to say into the space above the coal, and from the bottom of the
oven or chamber so constructed I lead a pipe to take the gases distilled off the
substance being treated therein, at the bottom of the material being coked my
reason for doing this being to obtain a class of hydrocarbon compounds of a
character different from that obtained when the products of distillation are taken
off at the top of the materials being coked or distilled.-These products I condense
and scrub so as to separate from them the tars, hydrocarbons and ammoniacal
liquor employing for the purpose of effecting this separation any of the well known
means for condensing and scrubbing the said gases and absorbing and collecting
the products such as those used at gas and iron works particularly using in the
finishing off this part of the treatment of the said gases washing the said gases with

page_text: 33
cold tars or oils which have been deprived of spirit (excepting when such gases
are to be used for illuminating purposes) in order to absorb the spirits and light
oil therefrom as is at present practised in mineral oil works. I bave not shewn
in the annexed drawings any illustration of an oven of the "Coppee" or "Appolt
type so altered as I deem it unnecessary, particularly as similar alterations have
been previously proposed and I do not make any claim to such alterations in the
construction of the said ovens but I do claim under this head of my Invention
the introduction of superheated steam into the space above the coal during the
process of coking and forcing the same together with the products of distillation
down through the charge into the passage or pipe at the bottom of the oven so as
to obtain a series of hydrocarbon compounds differing from those obtained when
the products of distillation pass off from the charge upwards.
"> <
The "Coppee," Appolt," and other coke ovens of a like class are defective in
respect that as hitberto worked they have been used under tension of draught
or exhaust so that air becomes drawn in through crevices or leaky flaws in the
coking chamber, and some of the coal or coke therein is thereby consumed and
often the heat is not high enough for the purpose required.
I remedy these two defects by means of forcing as distinguished from drawing
the air into the flues where the gas is burned and in forcing it in I discharge the
air through small holes in the side flues pointing downwards and thus I keep the
oven always under a slight pressure instead of working such ovens by a draught
as hitherto practised. The air may be forced and heated in the manner set forth
in the Specification filed in pursuance of Letters Patent granted to me the said
Henry Aitken No. 57. A.D. 1874,
In carrying out this part of my invention I prefer to blow or force the air in by
means of an ordinary blowing engine, or fan, or a steam jet, or water blower,
Many coals will not begin to cake or coke unless the heat is applied suddenly
hence it is that the "Coppee" and ovens of the like character will not coke certain
dry or poor caking coals. To enable this kind of oven to coke such coals I take
gases other than those produced in or by the said ovens and force them into the
oven or flues both when the gas from the charge is dying out and if required
during the time when the coal is coking and also so soon as the charge is in the
oven or such gas from an outside source may be turned on into the flues while the
charge is being drawn so as to make the oven very hot and ready for another
charge. In all cases the proper amount of air which I prefer to be heated is
forced into the flues together with the gas.
The gases after they have left the ovens may be used for any purpose desired or
treated as herein after described for the recovery of the sulphur and ammonia that
is in them.
With regard to this part of my invention I claim working the "Coppee," or
"Appolt," ovens, or ovens of a like class, with air forced under pressure into the
flues thereof to burn therein the gas produced from the said oven whereby I
prevent the burning off or consuming of the coal or coke in the coking chamber.―
I also claim the introduction and burning in the flues of the " Coppee," or
Appolt," or other such like coke ovens, of gas produced from a source outside or
independent of the said ovens and mixed with air preferably heated for the
purpose of increasing the heat of the oven and above that which would be
produced from the combustion of gases escaping from the products being distilled
therein as herein before mentioned.
66
When the "Coppee," or "Appolt," or such like coke ovens, are drawn by hand
in the ordinary way they have a large door behind and a large door in the front
also and both these doors have a very thick lining of brick work, but when they
are drawn or emptied according to these improvements by means of the plate or
wedge, made of metal or other suitable material as hereinafter described, drawn or
forced in between the bottom of the chamber and the charge so as to lift the
charge, a small door is only required at the back-This wedge or plate is made
to a point at one end and gradually thickening to the back, say for example at an

page_text: angle of about one in twelve but a less angle may be employed. At the back an
upright bar is preferably placed or welded-such a wedge or plate is shewn in side
elevation at Figure 1, of the accompanying drawings.-When this wedge or
plate is pushed by any suitable mechanism, such for example as the mechanism
described in my former Specification No. 57, A.D. 1874, over the floor of the oven
or chamber the coke is lifted up en masse and the wedge and all the coke are
moved out of the oven or chamber.-A. bar is then placed on the wedge across the
front of the oven, when the wedge is drawn back and the coke left outside. This
manner and means for taking coke from ovens or chambers may be applied to coke
ovens or chambers other than those of the "Coppee" type or it may be applied to
gas retorts.
As regards this part of my invention, I claim the emptying of coke ovens, or
chambers, or retorts, of their charge of coke en masse by means of a wedge or
plate operated in the manner described.
When treating blast furnace gas and gases from coke ovens, or furnaces, or gas
producers, thus escaping from the coking of bituminous or carbonaceous ironstones,
or limestones or from ores undergoing roasting or calcination after leaving the
scrubbers and condensers, they may be treated by washing them with cold tar, oils,
pitch, or bitumen, grease or fats, in order to separate and collect from them the
hydrocarbon compounds and sulphur compounds or their gases may be treated by
oxide of iron also to recover the sulphur compounds but in cases when it is not
desirable to condense or cool them I pass such gases or the products of combustion
from other furnaces or fires, over or through hot or cold tar, pitch, oil, bitumen or
grease preferring to use for this purpose such tar, pitch, oil, bitumen, grease,
or fat that have as high boiling point as possible, by any of the usual gas washing
or oil work apparatus and thereafter the ammonia is obtained by passing the said
gases over or through acid which may be in a tower through which the acid falls
in a shower or through an equivalent acid washer and the tar, oil, pitch, bitumen,
grease, and other substances herein mentioned become charged with the dust, soot,
and other solid matter held in suspension in the gases and thereby are converted
into a substance analogo is to or resembling asphalt-If the dust or soot contain
metals or ores of metils such as mercury, arsenic, and others that are worth
recovering, I distill and burn off the tar or pitch or bituminous matter and so
recover them or smelt the blocks so obtained.
In applying this means of freeing gases from locomotive fires from sulphur and
ammonia, particularly when locomotives are used in underground railways, I may
place such absorbers on the tender or on a wagon close to the locomotive.-Before
these gases get to the absorbers I prefer to pass them through a chamber or cinder
catcher so as to prevent the cinders passing forward into the absorbers..
At Figures 2, and 3, of the accompanying drawings I shew in longitudinal and
transverse section an apparatus wherein the gases from coke ovens or gas producers
or from blast furnaces or other furnaces or fires may be so treated with hot or cold
tars, pitch, oils, bitumen, grease, or fat for the foregoing purposes and which
operates in the following manner, that is to say the gas passes into the apparatus
at the branch A.-At the centre of the casing is a revolving shaft B, driven by an
engine C; on this shaft B, is carried a series of discs D, which carry a wire gauze
or perforated cylinder E, upon which there is (or are) one (or more) plies of gauze
or perforated plates, rotating with the discs D, and shaft B.-The casing is charged
with the tars, oil, grease, or other absorbing material, through the pipe F, to any
required depth.-In the casing are rings G, correspouding in position to the discs D,
and with an opening in each alternate ring at the upper part at alternate sides so that
the gas in entering the apparatus passes through the wire gauze or perforated sheet
iron cylinders which becoming coated with the tar, oil, grease or other substance
contained in the outer casing causes the tars, oils, or grease to pick up or absorb the
dust, soot or other solid substance held in a state of fine division carried in the gas.
When I require to heat up the tars, pitch, oils, or grease, I pass steam through
the pipes H, Figure 3, for the purpose of heating and liquefying the absorbed

page_text: material when solid or semi-solid or a viscous substance used as the absorbent, and
the absorbent, when it is sufficiently charged with dust, soot or other solid material,
is taken off by the pipes or drips I, and when required I cool the tar or other
liquid in the condenser by passing cold water, or other liquid, through pipes contained
therein.
By the absorption or taking out of soot and sulphur from the gases and the
products of combustion in the manner herein before described the pollution of the
atmosphere. by soot and sulphur is prevented.
In order to obtain from the gases produced from blast furnaces, coke ovens, gas
producers, or from the products of combustion of other furnaces or fires, or from
the gases escaping from the coking of bituminous ironstones in the roasting or
calcining of ores, the sulphur and sulphur compounds I may, instead of passing the
gases, at first, through cold tar, pitch, oil, grease, or fats, first pass the said gases
through oxide of iron in the manner at present practised with illuminating gas or
I pass the said gases through oxide of iron after they have been previously passed
through either cold or hot tar, pitch, oil, grease, or fats, and thereby obtain the
residual sulphur or sulphuric compounds left therein.
It is to be understood that the solid material produced off the tars, pitch, oils,
grease, or fat through the absorption of dust, soot or other substance from the
gases instead of being used as asphalt for paving or like purposes may be put into a
still and fracturinated in order to separate the different substances contained therein.
As regards this part of my invention I claim:
First The treating of blast furnace gases as well as the gases from gas producers
or coke ovens, also the gases resulting from the coking of bituminous ironstones
and limestones as well as those arising from roasting or calcination of ores by passing
them through cold tar, oils, pitch, grease, or fat in order to extract the hydrocarbons
and sulphur therefrom, the gases being treated with sulphuric or other acid in order
to separate the ammonia as herein before described.
Second-The treating of blast furnace gases as well as the gases from gas
producers, and coke ovens, and also the gases resulting from the coking of
bituminous iron ores or limestones as well as those arising from the calcining or
roasting of ores and the products of combustion from fires or furnaces generally by
passing them through or over tar, pitch, oil, bitumen, grease or fat in order to
absorb, from the said gases, dust, soot or other solid substance, including metals,
held in suspension therein and so producing a substance analogous to asphalt
whilst leaving the gases in a state fit to be at once washed with sulphuric or other
acid in order to collect the ammonia as hereinbefore described.
Third The treating of the said gases with oxide of iron in order to obtain the
sulphur and sulphuric compounds therefrom as hereinbefore described.
The second part of my said. invention relates to improvements in treating coal
and other carbonaceous and bituminous substances for the production of gas, oils,
tar, coke, resin, sulphur, bitumen, asphaltum, or cyanogen compounds, ammonia and
ammoniacal liquors and to convert coke into gas for heating purposes
In practising this second head of my Invention I construct two or more
chambers, such for example as the two shewn in vertical section at Figure 4 of the
annexed drawings and which I prefer to stand upright.-One of these chambers,
which for the sake of effecting simplicity in description I call Chamber No 1,
having been filled with coal or other carbonaceous or bituminous substances, I
kindle the same at the bottom of the chamber and apply an exhaust by the pipe A,
at the top of the chamber to draw out the volatile inatters, or I apply a blast of
air, heated or cold, through one or more of the twyers B, to drive out the volatile
matters in the said carbonaceous or bituminous substances.
In starting the apparatus into operation I either at once pass these volatile
matters through the second chamber which is also filled with coal or other
bituminous or combustible substance or I condense and collect their hydro-carbons
and ammonia without passing these volatile matters through Chamber No. 2, and
in this manner carry on the work, water or steam always being added as herein.

page_text: mentioned. I may also work the process in the following manner, namely, so soon
as nearly all the hydrocarbonaceous gases have been removed from or out of the
materials in Chamber No. 1, I open a valve or damper C, in the pipes or passages
connecting Chamber No. 2, to Chamber No. 1, and I force or draw a portion (or
the whole) of the hard or permanent gas thus produced into chamber No. 1, and
whilst hot, down through the materials in the second chamber and so drive out the
tar, oil, water and other constituents of the materials therein, which I take off through
the pipe D, and condense, wash and absorb so as to obtain all that is in them
by any such means as are herein before described under the first head of this
invention.
The gases after being deprived of the tar, water and other condensible products, may
also be dried by passing them through dry lime or chloride of calcium or other absorber
of vapour. So soon as all the hard permanent or carbonic oxide gas is drawn, or
driven, off the materials contained in Chamber No. 1, I close the valve leading to
Chamber No. 1, and the valve to the condensers and open the valve in the passage H,
leading from Chamber No. 2, to Chamber No. 3, and force or draw air in at the
bottom of Chamber No. 2, either by an exhaust or by pressure as hereinbefore
described in reference to Chamber No. 1, and so soon as all the volatile matters therein
are drawn off I open the valve connecting to the pipe through which the hard gas
passes to Chamber No. 3, and thus the process goes on through a succession or
series of any number of such chambers or where two chambers or towers only are
used they are or may be worked alternately.-It is also to be understood that the
gases may be passed through more than two of such chambers in succession care
being taken to provide drip and syphon pipes in connection with the pipes D, and
carrying a pipe or passage therefrom to take off the liquid products also a passage
to carry the gas from the bottom of any one chamber to the top of the next
chamber. These pipes as well as the pipes A, are furnished with valves to open
and shut the same, as required.-By this means a succession of chambers may be
made to produce any desired extent of condensing surface, at the same time
absorbing the heat from the products until they pass off almost cold, thus removing
the expense of providing specially constructed condensers and preventing the waste
of heat, by the heat of the gas being used to prepare the materials for distillation.
-The bottoms of the chambers may be constructed with doors E, and F, Figure 4,
in the bottom or sides for cleaning out the ash, or they may be formed with
moveable bottoms on hydraulic rams or with other arrangements for opening and
closing the bottoms such as are set forth in the Specification filed in pursuance of
Letters Patent granted to me the said Henry Aitken No. 57 A.D. 1874 or the ash
or residue may be reduced to a cinder or slag in the said chambers and if necessary
lime, clay, blast furnace or malleable iron or steel work cinder or other flux may be
added to assist in this reduction.
In place of working the chambers in this method they may be worked by
kindling them at the top and forcing air into them with water or steam, added as
herein described and they may be so worked either singly or in series.
When these chambers are worked singly, and more particularly, when fired from
the top downwards with air and steam drawn or forced in at the top, I make the
said chambers very high, indeed the higher the better, so long as the products of
combustion can be forced or drawn down through the material
Water or superheated steam is or may be put into the chambers while the hard,
permanent, or carbonic oxide gas is being made.-This may be done at the bottom
by the steam jets G, carrying the steam thereinto through the twyers B;-these
steam jets G, may also be used for carrying air, preferably heated air, into the
chambers by their inductive action, or the water, or steam may be introduced above
the bottom of the chamber as the process proceeds, and water or steam which I
prefer to be superheated may be put in at the top of the chamber from which the
gases are being taken off for condensation, to prevent the burning or oxidizing of
the bydrocarbons and to assist the gases in their passage through the hot materials
to produce ammonia.

page_text: With regard to this part of my Invention I claim :
First Taking the products of combustion and distillation from one chamber
into or through the materials contained in one or more other chambers as desired or
when fired at the top down through the material in the same chamber as herein-
before described.
Second Adding steam (preferably superheated steam, or water) in or to the
materials in one chamber when worked separately, or to the products of combustion
and distillation of the materials when these products of combustion and distillation
are led through the materials in one or more subsequent chambers as and for the
purposes described.
When the chambers are worked with an exhaust and when the air and steam
are passing in the bottom I prefer to construct in the bottom a brick chamber
with slots or holes therein pointing downwards in the centre or middle of which
air and steam ascends and by means of pipes and cocks leading to different parts
of the chamber or by means of valves to be operated by rods from the outside I am
enabled to regulate the supply of air in any desired quantity and at different
levels so that should any of the lower air holes slag or fill up I can open the valves
to the higher ones and so continue the operations.-When the substances are very
rich in bitumen or liquid products I mix them with bricks, clinkers, or the like so
as to prevent them getting solid or too close when the hot gases are passed through.
When it is desired to make tarry compounds in place of working the process in
the manner herein before described I may reverse it and admit air at the top in
place of the bottom of the chamber-the superheated steam is also admitted at the
top or door of the generator as the combustion proceeds and I also take the gases
off in the reverse manner to what is herein stated that is to say at the bottom of
the chamber through the pipes or passages D, Figure 4.
The chambers may be made of brick or hooped or, as I prefer, cased outside with
iron, or they may be made of iron, or other metal, and with another casing of
metal at a distance from the first enclosing a space between the two casings as
shewn in vertical section at Figure 5, this space being filled with water.--I can
either use the heated water for any purpose required or I may raise steam in the
said space and so utilize the heat.-By this means all difficulty with ash or clinker
adhering to the side of the chamber, when made of brick, as in Figure 4, is avoided,
as the ash or clinker or slag comes freely from the inner plates of the generator.-
The same arrangements as are herein before described with regard to the getting
rid of the ashes or residue,.and the forcing in of steam, or steam and air in Figure 4,
are employed in connection with the apparatus shewn at Figure 5, but more steam
may be added above the Twyers both in Figures 4, and 5, if desired.―The gases
being treated as herein mentioned.
As regards this part of my invention I claim the distilling, or gas producing
chamber, and boiler, or water heater, in combination as hereinbefore described.
This mode of working can also be applied to shale, lignite, and other carbonaceous
or combustible substances.-Ironstone, limestone, shale, chalk, and carbonaceous or
bituminous matters may be treated in the foregoing way, and the products obtained
therefrom, and when ironstone in which fixed carbon remains is to be treated, and
when it is desired to reduce ores to a peroxide, I force in or allow air to enter with
a little steam, if there is any ammonia or sulphur still remaining, I condense or
absorb the ammonia and sulphur out, but if no ammonia or sulphur is present I
only allow the air to be admitted and convert fixed carbon into Co. In like
manner the remaining fixed carbon, sulphur, and ammonia in shale and other
carbonaceous and bituminous matters can be obtained as hereinafter more fully
set forth.
In treating such substances as bitumen or materials containing a great amount
of liquids I prefer to put in the raw material at the top of a chamber set at an
incline or angle and apply heat by passing a current of hot gas over it or as
hereinafter mentioned.-The bitumen runs down into a pot or pool and is then
deprived of its volatile matter by means of burning a portion of the same, or .

page_text: preferably by a current of heated gas, preferably hydrocarbon gas, with super-
heated steam and the fixed carbon is burned off as it accumulates in the pot or
pool from time to time.-Steam being admitted as herein described.-The gases
are condensed and absorbed and treated as herein mentioned in order to obtain the
ammonia, hydrocarbons and sulphur.-The coke or ash may be raked out of the
pool as often as required, or the bitumen may be thrown into the pool at once, or
the bitumen may be liquid and run into a tower filled with open brick work in it
and the gases treated as above mentioned.-When the brick work gets partly filled.
with fixed carbon and ash, I admit air to burn off the carbon and the ash is
removed through side doors-Steam being admitted as hereinbefore described.
As regards this part of my invention I claim the heating of bitumen and
bituminous substances as herein described and for the purposes stated."
When using shale or coal for oil making. I prefer to grind it to small pieces, or
to dust, and place it in towers or chambers in which I have revolving rods or tubes
with bars thereon, or any equivalent arrangement for disturbing the position of the
shale and exposing it to a downward current of hot gases, (preferably hydrocarbon
gases,) and steam.-The gas to be used I prefer to be shale gas.-I prefer to use a
portion only of steam and a portion of the gases made in working after the same
have been robbed of all their condensible products, and have them again heated up
and passed with steam.added thereto through hot pipes or regenerators such as
those herein referred to and superheated. In this way the shale is exposed to a
gradually increasing temperature and large quantities of material can be treated in
one chamber at one time.-The gases, after going through one chamber, may pass
through others in the same manner as herein before described.-The chambers
being provided with perforated bottoms and connections as hereinbefore described.―
I am aware that it has been attempted to distil shale somewhat in this manner
before, but this has failed through the shale being in too big pieces and the heated
gas keeping a constant passage through the shale in place of passing through as
many of the interstices or spaces as possible; I overcome this by means of the
stirrers herein before described and by having the shale in small pieces.
As regards this part of my invention I claim the treating of shale when broken
or reduced to small pieces in order to give as large a surface thereof as possible to
the action of the gases passing through the chambers and the employment of
stirrers in the said chambers in order to keep the shale in a free or open state as
hereinbefore described.
The gases having been freed of their water and ammonia, sulphur and oil, may
be heated up and again passed with hot steam through the chambers or ovens.-In
this way the gas does duty over and over again.-The gas may be heated by
passing through a fire or preferably by the means herein mentioned.-Water or
superheated steam being always added as herein before described.-When it is
desired to make tars, or tarry oils, in place of oil, I cause the hot gases to ascend
through the material in place of down through the same.
When it is desired to make gas for one or two chambers or furnaces only I prefer
the following arrangements-namely-over the fire door of each furnace I erect a
building of fire brick, hooped or cased with iron.-On the top of this I place a pipe
connecting to the condensers, washers, and scrubbers; on the top of the apparatus
is also placed a charging bell or door-near the level of the dead plate or furnace
bars, a door is placed and also air holes with regulating valves. This chamber,
having been filled with coke or coal, is kindled at the bottom and an exhaust or
blast applied, to force or draw the products of combustion of the coke, at the
bottom of the towers to the condenser, when the products are cooled and washed
as herein stated or the gas may be treated as otherwise herein stated and it may
be thereafter forced below the boiler or into the furnace and burned.-The coke so
made is then pushed forward by hand on to the fire bars and there consumed or
more air
may be admitted and the hard or permanent gas carried off to be
consumed. In place of pushing the coke forward by hand it may be drawn
forward by endless chain fire-bars, such as those now in use or it may be pushed

page_text: on to the fire bars by any of the self feeding arrangements now in use or known-
Water or superheated steam being applied as herein stated.
Another method of accomplishing the same object is to line an iron chamber
preferably of a circular shape with bricks, and place the same on runners at the
middle. Holes are made at both ends of this chamber.-The chamber is put on
end and filled with coal or other carbonaceous material and kindled.-The bottom
hole is connected with a pipe, or the gas may be brought by a passage from the
bottom to the trunnions, and there led to the condensers, washers, and scrubbers,
when an exhaust is applied and the products of combustion drawn down, and
passed through the condensers and scrubbers, after which it is used for firing or
otherwise. So soon as nearly all the material is consumed, carbonaceous matter is
filled in at the top and the chamber is turned round and the other end connected
to the condenser pipe and so the process' goes on.-In place of using an exhauster
the air may be forced or drawn into the chamber by means of an engine blower or
steam jet Water or superheated steam being added along with the air and also
the pipes passed through the trunnions, which pipes may be placed to put steam in
at any point in the chamber desired.
In applying my system to such generators as Siemens, Wilson's, and other
generators, or fires in order to obtain more ammonia and other products I prefer to
work them with a thickened layer of carbonaceous matter and apply water or
superheated steam at either the bottom of the generator or just above the red hot
material or at the bottom, or the water or superheated steam may be applied
through the stirrers hereinafter mentioned.-The object of adding the stirrers to
generators or fires is to prevent the caking or sticking of the material together
and to prevent the gas and air making channels through the material and so
making poor gas.
Stirrers or agitators may with advantage be applied to Siemens and other gas
producers or fires where no water or steam is added for the purpose herein stated
and when the only object is to get gas, and at Figures 6, and 7, of the accompanying
Drawings I have shewn a Siemens gas producer wherein a much thicker or deeper
layer of fuel A, than usually is operated with, is used and wherein are also shewn
the rotating shafts B, and C, with stirrers a, attached thereto.-These stirrers are
operated from any motor and slowly driven preferably by tangent screws gearing,
which are on each shaft.-These stirrers may be made of any other suitable form
such as flat bars for instance, making them twice as thick as broad, or they may
be made eccentric shaped, or of the kind hereinafter described. When water or
steam is admitted through the shafts B, and C, and stirrers a, which are hollow,
the outer ends of the shafts B, and C, are coupled by suitable joints to pipes
whereby water or steam is admitted to them.-These stirrers may also be placed at
a lower level than what is shewn at Figures 6, and 7, and steam is or may be
admitted into the hot material at d, d, Figure 6, whilst air, which I prefer to be
heated, may also be forced in through an opening in the door E, by a steam jet F,
or the air forcing jet of steam may be applied at any point so as not to interfere
with the door E.-The ammonia and products of combustion and distillation are
taken off by the pipe G, to condensers and scrubbers. When applying this manner
of producing ammonia to ordinary furnaces and boiler fires, I close in the ash-pit
and inject steain and air below, or into or above the fuel on the fire bars and collect
the products after they have escaped from the furnaces or boilers.
As regards this part of my invention I claim.
First Working Siemens and other gas generators and fires by adding water or
superheated steam thereto in or amongst the fuel in the generator for the purpose
of getting condensible products therefrom particularly with the object of getting
more ammonia.-and I claim as regards this part of my Invention
Second-The applying of stirrers or agitators to gas generators or producers for
the purpose of moving the materials undergoing combustion or distillation, such
stirrers being arranged, or not arranged for the admission of steam or water there-
through as described,

page_text: When treating the more or less solid matter of sewage or town refuse or car-
bonaceous matter containing a great amount of ash, I prefer to treat them in a
Siemens or equivalent gas producer arranged as shewn in Figure 6, and to which
I prefer to add at the bottom a series of revolving fire bars so as to provide a
sufficient surface for the oxidization of the materials.
When it is desired to make large quantities of gas and at the same time get the
tar oil and other products hereinbefore mentioned I prefer to do so by the following
methods and I here explain that under the designation or term of gas producers
I include all such apparatus, as smelting furnaces, or others when more gas is
produced than is utilized in such furnaces or producers of gas, or gas generators,
and in this series I look upon a blast furnace for making iron or other metal as
a gas generator, and so use it for the purpose of these my present improvements.---
I construct a gas producer like an ordinary iron Blast furnace such as is now used
to make pig iron, and by preference give it the same fittings; and separate there-
from on the top of the blast-furnace I erect a series of chambers which I prefer to
be upright and wider at the bottom than the top.-Such an arrangement of
chambers is shewn at Figure 11, which is a transverse section of the upper part
of a blast furnace so constructed.—Each of these chambers A, is provided with a
pipe B, and a valve (not shewn in the drawings) to take the gas from the blast
furnace up to the top of the chambers and with a second pipe C, and valve, (not
shewn on the drawings) to take the hot gases after they have passed through and
acted upon the materials in each chamber A, to the condensers, water or preferably
steam being added at the top of the chamber. These gases after being freed from
their water and ammonia and oils, may be used for any purpose desired or may be
forced in at the twyers of a blast furnace or they may be forced in above the
twyers, after they have been deprived of their products as herein mentioned, and
after any Co. 2, that is therein has either been absorbed by lime or converted
into Co, by passing through hot carbonaceous matter and if the gases contain
moisture they are passed through or over chloride of calcium lime or other water
absorber prior to being passed through the hot carbonaceous matter.-In all cases
it is desirable that the gases should go into the furnace as hot as possible.
I am aware that it has been attempted to apply blast furnace gases in this way
before but such attempts have failed.-This failure I attribute to the presence
of Co 2, and water, and from the gases being too cold.
As regards this head of my invention I claim the use of blast furnace and other
gases from which all or nearly all the Co 2, has been extracted or converted into
Co, in blast or other furnaces preferably in a hot state as herein before described.
The chambers A, having been filled with weighed quantities of coal or with
mixture of coal, ore, flux, and limestone, (I prefer the different materials being in
separate chambers, the gases from the material also being kept separate,) I pass
the gases from the blast furnaces through the material in the chambers and by the
heat of the gases I drive out the volatile matters from the material therein, water
or superheated steam being added to the gases at the top of the chambers.-The
gases after they have left the blast furnace may be passed through hot coal or coke
so as to convert them all into Co, or they may be heated by passing them through
a heater before they are put into the chambers A, or in this heated condition the
gases may be used for any other purpose required.-So soon as all or nearly all the
volatile matters have been driven out of the material in the chambers A, the doors D,
at the bottom thereof, are opened and the materials therein are dropped on to the
tunnel head and charging cone E, of the blast furnace and then charged into the
furnace by opening the cone E, after the ordinary manner of charging a close
topped blast furnace.
"When it is desired to make tarry products I pass the hot gas up through the
chambers A, in place of down through them. The water or superheated steam
also in this case entering through a pipe at the bottom of such chamber and passing
with the products out of the top thereof.
The doors for the top of the chamber I prefer to make first of fire brick and

page_text: above them I place a luted door for the purpose of securely sealing the same.--
The doors for the bottom are made of iron and may be moved by hydraulic or
other power but I have not considered it necessary to shew these details of con-
struction on the annexed drawings, as they are at once obvious to persons acquainted
with the practical construction of furnaces and like apparatus. In order to make
the joints of the several doors tight I face the doors or mouthpieces very truly and
have a space of six inches deep or so, round the outside which I fill with water,
tar, or sand, and in this way make a tight joint, pipes being provided to bring the
water or tars to, and away from, the joint.
The chambers when applied to the top of a blast furnace as now last described,
are preferably made of such a size that when constructed as shewn at Figure 11,
such chambers will hold a quantity of material which can be easily dropped at once
on to the charging bell or cone of the blast furnace, a shoot being used to save the
breakage of the materials.-As there will be a considerable quantity of dust and
gas escaping at the time of dropping a charge and more time may be required to
pass the material down, I prefer to use in the blast furnace two bells or cones one
below the other and to take off the gases from the blast furnace below the lower
bell or cone. The chambers in lieu of being placed on the top of the furnace may
be placed on the ground separated from the blast furnace and the gas brought
down in protected pipes and the materials after being treated as herein stated are
raised up by a hoist or other well known means and put into the top of the blast
furnace.
In place of providing the blast furnace with these compartments on the top, the
top portion of the blast furnace may be provided with such compartments A,
without bottom as shewn in vertical section at Figure 12, and horizontal section at
Figure 12a, of the annexed drawings, water or steam, preferably superheated, being
inserted through apertures in a pipe B, in the barrel at or about the bottom of the
compartments of the blast furnace about half way down the barrel to assist in
taking off the gases, and in producing ammonia, the pipe C, by which the water or
superheated steam is admitted to the furnace, has two cocks or valves D, D¹, on
the main pipe, and one D2, opening on the bottom to the outside air so as to make
sure, when the water or steam is cut off, that no water or steam is passing and
getting into the furnace.-The exact position, for the water or steam being
admitted into the blast furnace, depends on the height of the furnace and the
rapidity of "driving" it.
When large quantities of ammonia are desired and large yields of hydrocarbons,
the steam or water is introduced in large quantity well down in the barrel of the
furnace from one-half to two-thirds down the barrel, but the height or position
at which the steam or water is admitted, must, to a very great extent, be regulated
by the height of furnace or gas producer, and the speed at which the said furnace
or producer is "driven."
When the furnace is not working, the current of water or steam is shut off,
except as herein mentioned.-The superheated steam may be introduced by means
of a pipe round the barrel of the furnace. This pipe is perforated, and protected
from the materials descending through the furnace by means of a projection built
on to the walls of furnace, which projection not only protects the pipe but directs
the steam on to and upon the materials at the central part of the furnace, or this
pipe is placed in a strong iron framing put across the furnace among the material
through which the steam is applied.-These chambers or compartments A, may be
filled all from one bell or cone, or each may have a separate bell or cone; when
only one bell or cone is used the tops of the compartments are provided with a
shield of iron or steel in order to prevent the material wearing away the brick
work. In like manner the gases may be taken off by one pipe or each com-
partment may have a separate pipe.
With the like object of carrying the burden I put into the barrel of the blast
furnace one or more stirrers and these consist of strong wheels, preferably made of
iron or soft steel like water wheels with the blades or discs full of holes to admit of

page_text: the gases getting through them.-Two of these stirrers are put opposite each other,
the shafts of these are brought outside and geared and may be driven by steam or
other power to suit the speed at which the furnace is working, or they will revolve
of themselves by the weight of the descending material corresponding to the
driving of the furnace, only one half of the wheels is in the furnace proper, the
other halves are in hollow projections on the side of the furnace.
In order to assist the steam and gases in getting at all the volatile materials and
also to enable caking coal or dross to be used in blast furnaces (which at present
cannot well be done as they cake into masses and make the working of the furnace
irregular) I place stirrers in the top portion of the blast furnace as shewn at
Figures 13, 14, and 15.-These stirrers may be very strong iron or steel shafts
having on them arms or rods, I cause these to revolve by means of gearing and
engine outside the furnace the shafts coming through packing boxes packed with
asbestos or other suitable packing.
In place of making the stirrers as shewn on the drawing they may be combined
by passing strong iron or steel shafts through the furnace and on these shafts
strong arms are formed these arms approach cach other at the middle of the furnace
and by alternately moving these arms up and down, the materials are disturbed
or retarded in their descent.-To these arms may be attached chains or rods on
which are placed balls or bars so that when they are drawn up the material below
gets disturbed. The water or steam preferably superheated may be passed through
the arms of the stirrers as hereinbefore described with reference to Siemens gas
producer or they may be of the other forms herein before described.-Meters are
supplied in order to regulate the quantity of steam or water to be supplied.
In place of introducing steam or water into the blast furnace for the purpose and
object here name the materials may be charged wet or fully charged with water.
Another means, whereby I am enabled to raise the height of the blast furnace
and so allow the products of combustion to ascend freely and also to procure the
volatile matters with more condensible material, and also work the furnace with
less risk of explosion, is to apply a fan or exhauster, or steam jet or jets, about
two thirds up the barrel of the furnace in place of putting the same on the con-
densing pipes beyond the furnace and connect the same to a flue round the furnace,
to which flue small flues or passages connect upwards all round the furnace in the
manner shewn in section at Figure 16, of the annexed Drawings.-The exhauster A,
draws the gases from the barrel of the furnace by the pipe B, and forces them up
on to the top of the material in the furnace by the pipe C, and the gases pass
down through the material and get out to the condensers by the pipes D, or the
gases, instead of being forced in immediately below the bell, may be forced in
through the materials at a lower level.-By driving the fan or exhauster at a
greater speed I am enabled to wash the materials, if so desired, over and over again
with the gases and so reduce the temperature of the gases and raise the temperature
of the materials..
In order to prevent the escape of gases through the bell edges I prefer to use
two bells one below the other and fill the space between them with steam.-Steam
is admitted into the upper part of the furnace through the pipe E, and holes F.-
In lieu of admitting the steam by the arrangement shewn at Figures 12, and 16,
it may be admitted by the pipe A, into the conical pipe B, through the holes at C,
as shewn on Figure 17.-It is to be understood that when reducing or smelting
ores I do not add steam or water at the twyers of the blast furnace, nor do I
confine myself to adding the steam at the point shewn in the drawings as it may
be added at various points.
This arrangement may also be applied when taking off gases from furnaces
where metals are reduced and when the object is only to take off the gases for
combustion as it relieves the pressure at the hearth and so enables the gases to
leave the hearth with greater rapidity and thus iron of a better quality is made
with less fuel and it also enables the furnace to drive quicker.-These methods of
working a furnace apply when coal, coke, ore, or tar and bitumen are used

page_text: With the view of preventing any chance of explosion occurring on starting
blast furnaces or gas producers after they have been standing for a time, owing
to the materials being at a red hot heat near the top of the blast furnace or gas
producer and so. firing the gas on the top and in the tubes, I force steam into the
top portion of the furnace by the pipe F, Figure 12, and by the pipe E, Figure 16,
.of the annexed drawings, and allow it to come out some distance down the barrel
of the Furnace by pipes X, which are kept open when the furnace is off blast and
through which the excess of steam is allowed to pass out, all as shewn on the
annexed drawings Figures 12, and 16.-This not only prevents the furnace drawing
air at the top when standing but it also prevents it drawing air farther down and
so does away in a great measure with material "running" on the "boshes" or
at the hearth, and the consumption of the coal or coke at the hearth when
standing..
This manner of working applies to blast furnaces or gas producers when the
gases are treated, as herein stated or otherwise.
In order to make the effects of explosion less felt I provide beyond the means
presently used water seals opening to the air along the pipes to the condensers and
other apparatus so that should an explosion take place it gets relief by blowing out
some of the water, and the water rushes back and covers the pipes or openings so.
soon as the explosion is over.
.
The gases from the blast furnace working in this manner are condensed, washed
and absorbed as hereinbefore described.
By this means raw ores containing Co 2, and sulphur can be used at once without.
being calcined, and the ammonia and sulphur obtained, and also oil or tar. in
addition from Blackband and carbonaceous ironstones, as the current of superheated
steam. will, with the aid of the gases, carry off the Co 2, and sulphur-the presence
of which it is believed has been the reason why the attempts to work raw ores.
containing Co 2, and sulphur have failed.
These modes of working when ores are being reduced have this farther advantage
that raw caking coals and dross or small coal can be used and the gas, tar, oil, and
ammonia got therefrom without any extra labour or expense and so coking or the
using of lump coal of a suitable kind is saved.
When it is desired to get cyanogen, or compounds thereof, I take a portion of
the gass off the blast furnace or gas producer where the gas is being made at a point
between. three-fourths and two-thirds down the barrel of the furnace or gas
producer and I take this gas and keep it separate from the other gases and I may
at once convert the cyanogen into ammonia by any of the well known means for
so doing, or the cyanogen may at once be combined with other substances or it may
condense or absorb it by water or by any of the means known at present for
absorbing cyanogen.-The remainder of the gases ascending the barrel of the furnace
or producer may be treated as herein described and the furnace or producer may
also be provided with steam or water as herein described but care must be taken
that no water or steam is admitted below the point where the gas containing
cyanogen is taken off or the furnace may be "driven" at greater rapidity or the
whole gases may be taken from a short furnace which is also rapidly "driven " and
these will contain a large amount of cyanogen compounds.
In all these arrangements the gas may be assisted through the condensing and
absorbing arrangements by means of fans or exhausters.
When gases have not been deprived of their ammonia before being burned and
it is intended to secure it afterwards I add a little water or preferably a little steam
to the gas when about or while burning so as to protect the ammonia from being
decomposed.
I also add water or steam to the hot gases either before or after they pass through
the tar and I also add water or steam to gases after they have been burned with the
object of converting the cyanogen compounds into ammonia.
In oil works much of the spent shale contains iron I propose treating it in the
same manner as in reducing ores so as not only to get the iron but also to get the
"

page_text: .
'ammonia and the Co, for heating purposes.-When the shale does not contain
enough of carbon to reduce the iron and flux the ash, I add coke or coal.-I am
thus enabled to get all these products, and supply gas for all the purposes of the oil
works. Indeed the same manner of working may be adopted even when there is
no iron in the spent shale as the materials are cheaply handled and the carbon
perfectly utilized and the ammonia obtained or the spent shale may be heated as
herein described.
>
In place of using coal or coke as fuel in gas producers of the blast furnace
type, I may use tar, oil, bitumen, charcoal, or wood for fresh fuel as is well
understood.
With regard to this head of my Invention what I claim is,-.
First The introduction of stirrers with or without water or steam passing through
them, in gas producers when in the form of blast furnaces for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
Second Treating ores and raw fuel, coke, lime, chalk, oil tar, and bitumen in
gas producers of the blast furnace type in order to obtain the ammonia, cyanogen,
tar, oil and other products therefrom as hereinbefore described.
Third The treating of ores containing Co. 2, and sulphur so as to extract
products therefrom and at the same time reduce them to metal in gas producers of
the blast furnace type as hereinbefore described.
Fourth The introduction of steam and water into gas producers of the blast
furnace type for purposes herein stated for making gas only-that is to say, without
the reduction of ores as herein before described.
Fifth The improved systems of introducing steam into blast furnaces when ores
are reduced as herei
re described.
Sixth The introd
on of water into blast furnaces when smelting ores and
when the gases are taken off to obtain the products therefrom as hereinbefore
described.
Seventh-The use of steam or water to gases containing ammonia whilst these
are being burned or immediately before they are burned for the purpose of protecting
the ammonia therein from decomposition as herein before described
Eighth-Treating gases in the manner described with water or steam before or
after they pass through the tars also after they have been burned in order to obtain
more ammonia as set forth.
+
When it is desired to retain the coke and not consume it in the chamber, the
coke may be cooled down in the chamber, or it may be taken out when hot.-In
such cases, the hard or permanent carbonic oxide gas is made in separate chambers
or producers, or blast furnace gases may be used as they issue from the same, or
these gases may be passed through hot coke, or mixed with a little air, and then
passed through hot carbonaceous matter before being put through the carbonaceous
matter in the chambers.
In place of working the chambers all separate from one another and connected
with pipes I leave a port provided with a damper or valve between each oven or
chamber at the top and by making the bottom of the oven open with perforated
bricks or open brick work and connecting the space below these perforated bricks
with a channel or flue to the to the top of the next chamber I am enabled to force
the gas continuously through any number of such chambers containing material to
be coked each of the conneeting flues being provided with a drip pipe as
herein before described:-The hard or permanent hot gas may be produced from a
separate chamber, pipes being led from such separate chamber to the ovens, valves
being used to open and close the connection to the ovens; or this hot gas may be
produced by means of a furnace on wheels, the blast for making the gas being
either got from a pipe connected to the furnace, or produced by means of an engine
boiler or blast producing arrangement also carried on Wheels.
When large quantities of coal have to be coked I prefer to have the bottoms of
the ovens on an iron framing covered with perforated brick work; this I prefer to
place on wheels-I construct a tunnel of brick or stone work in which I lay rails:
}

page_text: which I prefer to have at a slight angle and put double doors of iron, lined with
brick work, or clay at each end.-I have also a sand joint along the side of the
oven to prevent the gas getting down in the same manner as some brick kilns are
made. I place the wagons in this tunnel and run coal from the top on to them.-
The bottom of the tunnel has pipes led into it, which lead to condensers scrubbers
and absorbers. These pipes are provided with valves so that the speed of the gases
may be controlled at different portions of the oven.-Where the coal has been run
in I turn on the stream of hot gases and force them down through the coal and so
coke it, the volatile matters being carried to the condenser.-In place of having the
bottom on wheels, it may be stationary, and the chamber worked in the same way,
or a long chamber may be divided by walls, and a hole with a damper placed
there, and when all has been filled with coal the hot carbonic oxide gases are
turned in and the full force put on to the first chamber then when sufficiently
coked the damper or valve between the two chambers is opened, and the valve on
the pipe at the bottom is closed or nearly closed, and the heated gases forced
through the second chamber and so on.-Heated gas may be carried in pipes, aud
in each division the gases may be driven off at once. In all cases when it is
desired to get ammonia and sulphur superheated steam or water is added to assist
the ammonia and sulphur to come off or if preferred the gas may be passed through
the coal or coke in several chambers, one after the other. In this way the gases
are cooled down slowly and the distillation from the raw coal proceeds slowly
and products are then got that cannot be obtained by the ordinary means of
distillation.
In place of making the ovens of the shape or kinds hereinstated, or of those
specified in the Patent No. 57. A.D 187+, granted to me the said Henry Aitken
I make them with an outside of iron and a brick lining, the top and sides
separate from the bottom, these, having been filled with carbonaceous matter by,
means of a hole on the top, are treated as herein before described, and when the
material is carbonized, the top and sides are lifted up and the coked material
watered out or removed.-A steam or hydraulic crane, or the equivalent, being
used to lift the sides and top of the chamber.-In place of watering out the coked
material, when the cover is taken off, the same may be cooled down by admitting
steam or water at the top and thus cooling the coke down as well as taking the
last portion of ammonia that can be got.-This manner of cooling may be adopted
with any kind of coke oven or with any of the processes herein mentioned.-
I prefer to make these chambers wider at the bottom than the top so that the
coked material will drop easily out.-These ovens being worked in the manner.
herein described. When saving or obtaining of the coke produced is of no great
consideration or when it is desired to avoid increasing the expense of a seperate,
generator and gas heater I work the ovens or chambers which I provide with
perforated bottoms and pipes connecting one oven to another and also provided,
with the arrangements for admitting air as described in the Specification filed in
pursuance of Letters, Patent granted to me the said Henry Aitken N°. 57,.
A.D. 1874, with blast in the following manner-the ovens are placed alongside
each other as shewn in transverse section at Figure 8, in partial longitudinal
section and side elevation at Figure 9, and in horizontal section and plan at
Figure 10, of the accompanying Drawings.
The bottoms of the chambers are provided with perforated bricks D, connected
to flues below them.-So soon as the first oven A, is properly fired up on the top,
I close the exit from this oven and force all the products of combustion down
through the material to be coked and into the flues E, in the bottom of the oven
These flues are provided with drips F, and the hot gases are then passed up a
flue C, on to the top of the material in the second oven A, made like the first, the
hot gases may be forced on through other ovens if desired.-So soon as desired the
volatile matters are drawn out of the material in oven Number 2, the connection
between ovens one and two are closed, the blast shut off Number 1, and put on to
Number 2, and so on in series.-In place of making the gases from the oven, when

page_text: the blast is applied, descend through the material in the next oven they may ascend
through the material in the Number 2, oven and down through the material in the.
next oven, and so on, drip pipes being provided as herein described to let off the
liquid produced.-In place of baving but one flue C, several such Blues may be
provided.
In place of working in this manner the chambers may be made very high and
fired at the top in which case the gas and the other products are taken at once
down through the material and led off from the bottom of such chambers; the limit
to the height of such chambers being regulated by the ability of the gas to be
forced or drawn through the materials being coked. The gases are led off by the
pipe E, to be condensed or treated as herein described steam and water being added
for the production of ammonia and other products.
In place of having the bottom of the chambers, shewn at Figures 8, 9, and 10,
covered with perforated or loose brick work I may use pipes or perforated pipes.
In place of putting the chambers or ovens side by side I may put them one on
top of the other for several "stories" and by having the bottom of perforated brick
work or with spaces between the bricks. A loose brick is put near the door at
either side of the oven, and the ovens are all charged by running the coal down
through the series of ovens so that when the bottom chamber has got its quantity
the bricks are replaced and so on to the top.
When it is desired to save the coke in the oven I pass carbonic oxide or the
hydrocarbons through a chamber in which is hot coal or coke which may be placed
between the ovens and so convert the Co 2, that is in the gas into Co, this I pass
through the coal to be made into coke and treat in the manner above described.-
In place of passing these gases to be heated through both coke or coal, they may
be heated in a "Siemens or other suitable heater, or any kind of oven may be
altered to suit this way of working.
"
When treating large quantities of coal or other carbonaceous matter for the
production of coke and liquid gaseous products by having the same in clumps or
bings placed on the ground I prefer to cover them with covers, preferably of iron
lined with brick and moved by power placed on gantry or by a steam crane or by
having the cover put on which as specified in the Specification filed in pursuance
of Letters Patent granted to ine the said Henry Aitken No. 352, A.D. 1868 and
water or superheated steam being added as the coking proceeds.-The products of
combustion being taken off at the bottom by means of a flue or the material may
be placed on loose bricks with flues therein.
As regards this part of iny invention I do not claim the apparatus which I have
described hereinbefore, but I do claim, in the making of coke and in the obtaining
of volatile and condensible products from coal, the forcing or drawing of heated
carbonic oxide or hydrocarbon gases through the material being coked, and with
or without the addition of steam or water as herein before described.
In calcining ironstone in chambers, towers or draw kilns, I provide the same
with bells or doors and draw off the fumes and condense them as herein stated,
water or steam, preferably superheated, being admitted into the tower or kiln to
assist in forming ammonia.
In place of using coal for raising heat in these draw kilns, blast furnace or other
gases may be used, water and steam being admitted as herein before described and
the gases treated as herein mentioned. .
Under this head of my invention I claim admitting steam or water into calcining
kilns with the object of obtaining ammonia and sulphur.
For heating the steam or gas and air to be used in the several operations herein
set forth this may be effected by passing the steam, gas or air through pipes, but I
prefer to use brick or stone' work enclosed in iron in the form known as that of
Siemens', or Cowper's, or Whittwells' stove of the description mentioned in the
Specification filed in pursuance of Letters Patent granted to me the said Henry
Aitken No. 57., A'D 1874.
In practising the third head of my invention which relates to treating coal

page_text: shale and other substances I desire to observe that it is more particularly applicable
to vertical retorts for distilling oil and other products from shale and other
carbonaceous and bituminous substances.-It consists of a new kind of upright
retort shewn in vertical section at Figure 18, the top portion A, of which is made
of fire brick or other refractory, material either in one piece or built in pieces and
to the bottom of this I attach a metal retort B, preferably of cast iron.-I support
the brick work on a strong metal framing C, preferably also of cast-iron, and to
this casting I attach or hang the iron retort B, preferably I hang or suspend. the
latter. I place the fire for heating the retort at the top near the fireclay retort on
the fire bars D-The fire may also be placed in this position with regard to other
vertical or inclined retorts, and the products of combustion taken downwards as
indicated by the annexed drawing, Figure 18, and I cause the products of
combustion to pass down around the iron retort or in place of a fire I use the gas
or heat arising from the spent shale as herein mentioned. In either case I prefer
to use heated air obtained from the products of combustion after they have left the
retort chamber.-These retorts may be of any known construction and they may
either be provided with doors or valves at the bottom or water sealed.When the
retorts are heated up I charge raw shale or other carbonaceous or bituminous
material into them and the gases are taken from the bottom of the retorts by the
pipes E, and treated by any of the known methods and thereafter used as desired.-
Very hot steam is used, and by having the shale in the fireclay portion of the
retort very hot, a much higher yield of ammonia is got; when it is desired to make
more ammonia I take the bottom portion of the spent shale that comes from the
iron portion of the retort and put it on the top of the raw shale which fills the
bottom portion of the retort and by the extra heat. so obtained in the fire-clay
portion of the retort, and very hot steam I get a still greater yield of ammonia.
-The retort may also be worked in the usual manner.
Both the fire-clay and iron portions of the retort widen downwards, so as to
allow the shale to drop freely down after its expansion consequent on the
application of heat thereto.-Even this provision may not be enough with some
material and I propose to supplement it by inserting moveable wedges or bars of
iron when the green shale or coal is put in and then withdrawing them if.
necessary to releive the spent carbonaceous matter when drawing the charge.
For the purpose of generating steam for use in these retorts I place the tubular
generator G, in the lower part of the building and heat it from a separate fire
on the fire-tars E, and I take the products of combustion from the generator
through the Blues F, into the retort chamber H, or it may be heated by any
of the methods herein stated.
In place of making the top of the retort of fire-brick or other refractory
material it may be made of iron, or the retort may be made entirely of fire-
brick or other refractory material, and the fire placed at the top and the retort
worked in the usual manner.
As regards this part of my invention I claim:
First The placing the fire at or near the top of retorts and drawing the
heat and products of combustion down around the retort as described and shewn
at Figure 18, of the annexed Drawings.
Second-I claim the construction of the upper part of vertical or inclined retorts
of refractory material such as fireclay, and the lower part of iron as described.
Third-I claim the taking of the spent or partially spent shale from the bottom
of the retorts and placing it in the top of the retorts on a fresh charge of green
shale or other carbonaceous matter. for the purpose of increasing the yield of
ammonia as set forth.
I also work upright retorts of the construction hereinbefore described and other
upright or inclined retorts, which may be of any construction or kind, by means of
pipes and cocks or valves connecting the retorts together so that, when the charge
in the first retort has nearly all its volatile natters out, I shut the valve to the
condensers and open the valve on the pipe connecting the top of retort Nº. 2, at

page_text: the same time admitting superheated steam at the bottom of retort No. 1, and open
the connection from the bottom of retort No. 2, to the condensers and keep the
heat up in both retorts until I have got as much ammonia as can be obtained or
until the volatile matter is all or nearly all out of the material in No. 2, retort.-I
then reverse all the connections and work No. 1, retort in the same way as I have
herein stated the manner of working retort No. 2, and so on with the other retorts
in the series The connections may all be reversed and the gases with the volatile
matters may then be made to ascend in place of to descend.
In order to obtain highly heated steam for these 'retorts I prefer to heat the same
by the means hereinbefore described or I construct a chamber of iron or of firebrick
or other refractory material and I fill the same with fire bricks and pass the steam
through the same to be heated.-This heater may be put in the same place as the
retorts and then heated by the same fire or it may be put in a separate chamber as
herein described or in the flue from the retorts and then heated.
With regard to this part of my invention I claim the- working of the retorts in
the manner described that is to say, passing highly heated steam through the
spent or partially spent materials in one retort and thence through the raw or
partially raw materials in another retort so as to produce more of the heavy
hydrocarbons and more animonia.
!
Another part of my invention relates to improvements in treating coke and
spent shale from which the whole of the ammonia and sulphur has not been
extracted and applies more particularly to coke and spent shale used at oil and gas
works and for this purpose I treat these substances by the same process as I have
herein before described for treating coal and other substances for extracting the
liquid products.-I collect the products by the same manner, and use the hard, or
incondensible or permanent gas for any purpose required but I prefer the blast
furnace type of producer herein before described, using water or superheated steam,
and in treating the gases I prefer to wash them first with hot tar, or pitch and then
with acid or acid and water in this way ammonia is got frée from dust and soot
and the gases do not require to be cooled down so much.
In place of firing each retort, or bench of retorts, separately as is done at present
I prefer putting up generators for making gas at a central point and carrying the
gas to the retorts in pipes and other places where it is to be burned.-These
generators may be of any form or kind presently known or of the forms and
provided with the improvements, that is to say, with the stirrers as herein
mentioned.
When made in the form such as a "Siemens" generator I put into them tubes.
or rods carrying arms and revolving or moving bars as hereinbefore described
through which if required water or air is made to pass so as to keep them cool, and
which are made to revolve in the hot coke and so to expose and burn the coke
regularly, by permitting the gas or air making fixed courses through the material
and I so make a regular quality of gas.
:.
The arms of the stirrers may carry in superheated steam or water into the
produce or the water or superheated steam may be taken in by separate pipes as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6 of the annexed drawings.-This
improvement is applicable to all kinds of gas generators particularly those where
caking fuel is used and I am also by this means enabled to work with a much
thicker body of material and so get a more perfect gás.-I prefer more particularly
when the shale or coke has a very great amount of ash to grind or break up the
spent shale or coke into small pieces so as to ensure the air getting at the carbon
and nitrogen therein and so getting not only a complete combustion of the carbon
but a more regular gas owing to the air all requiring to come into contact with a
large surface of spent shale or coke.-Water or superheated steam may be added
either below the hot coal, or coke, or below the ash, or it may be added immediately
above when combustion is going on.-The object of adding the steam or water is
to assist in the production of ammonia.-Steam or water. may be added below the

page_text: fire grate or amongst the fuel for the production of ammonia from the hot coke or
spent shale now frequently used in oil and gas works
As regards this part of my invention I claim the treating of the coke and spent
shale from gas and oil works in the apparatus and by the processes which are
described and claimed under preceding heads of this invention as applied to the
treating of coal and carbonaceous substances in gas producers and fires.
In Witness Whereof I, the said Henry Aitken have hereunto set my band
and seal this Sixth day of December in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-two.
HENRY AITKEN. (L.S.)