In- PROVEMENTS IN CHARGING AND DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY or ApparatuS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Foulis, of Glasgow, in the County of
of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN CHARGING AND DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
or ApparatuS EMPLOYED THEREFOR,'
Sealed the 16th May 1873, and dated the 6th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Foulis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th January 1873.
I, WILLIAM FOULIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARGING AND DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :--
This Invention, which relates to improvements in charging and
drawing retorts, has for its objects to effect these operations more con-
veniently than hitherto.

page_text: It is also obvious that the apparatus hercin-before described
operated by compressed air or steam or other fluids or liquids.
may bo
In place of arranging the pressure apparatus with telescopic joints it
may be arranged to act upon piston rods to which chains attached to
the scoop or rake are connected, in which case the pressure cylinder
may be placed either below, above, or at the side of the scoops or
rakes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Foulis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FOULIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
36th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Foulis, Her special
license that I, the said William Foulis, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Foulis, my
executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN CHARGING AND DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Foulis, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: 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 William Foulis, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say: :―
My said Invention which relates to improvements in charging and
drawing retorts has for its objects to effect these operations more con-
veniently than hitherto.
The apparatus employed for effecting the aforesaid objects consists
essentially of one, two, or more hydraulic cylinders connected together
by telescopic joints and situated horizontally. These hydraulic cylinders
or tubes are mounted upon a platform or carriage which traverses on
wheels a line of rails situated parallel with the charging ends of the
retorts. The outer hydraulic cylinder or tube carries a "scoop" or
scoops" (or other similar appliance) in which the charge for the
retort is placed.
In charging a retort the hydraulic apparatus is connected to a water
pressure main or pump, and the water under pressure being admitted to
the hydraulic cylinders or tubes opens them out telescopically so that the
scoop with the charge is advanced into the retort. When the scoop is
thus situated it is rotated on its axis so as to deposit the charge in the
retort; this operation is effected by means of a short hydraulic cylinder,
a rack and pinion, or the mechanical equivalent of either of these acting
upon the cylinders or tubes so as to rotate one or more of them together
with the scoop. When the charge is thus deposited in the retort the
scoop is withdrawn, this may be effected either by causing the water to
act upon the tubes in the reverse of that before-mentioned, or chains,
racks, and pinions, or other such apparatus commonly used for drawing
back hydraulic rams may be adopted.
The apparatus is so mounted on its carriage that it may be raised or
lowered to correspond with any position of the retorts.

page_text: ine apparatus for drawing the retorts also consists of one or more
hydraulic cylinders or tubes mounted in the manner herein-before
described with reference to the charging apparatus, but in place of the
scoop or scoops a coke drawing "rake" or "rakes," or their equivalent,
is or are fixed thereto, and the hydraulic pressure is applied so as to pull
or draw the coke out of the retorts.
It is obvious that the same apparatus which is used for charging may
also be used for drawing retorts by employing either the charging scoops
or drawing rakes as required, it will however generally be more con-
venient to have separate apparatus for each operation.
The apparatus herein-before described instead of being actuated by
water under pressure may be operated by compressed air or steam or
other fluids or liquids.
It is further to be understood that any required number or sets of the
apparatus herein-before described may be mounted on one traversing
platform or carriage.
In charging the scoop the coal may be shovelled or tipped into it,
or a long hopper having a bottom capable of being opened at any time
may be brought over the scoop and the charge dropped thereinto.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say:-
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto apponded, Figure 1 is a side
elevation of my improved retort charging apparatus; Figure 2 is a plan
thereof, whilst Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same.
As shewn by these Figures the apparatus consists of an hydraulic
cylinder A, within which are situated other hydraulic cylinders or
tubes B and C respectively, as shewn more particularly at Figure 4, in
which Figure the hydraulic cylinder A, with the internal cylinders or
tubes B and C are shown in vertical section. The cylinder A is con-
nected to the cylinder or tube B by means of a gland and stuffing box a,
so as to form a telescopic joint, whilst the cylinder or tube B is con-
nected to the inner or stationary cylinder or tube C by means of a similar
telescopic joint 6. Situated within the cylinder or tube C is the inlet

page_text: to move.
pipe c', through which the water under pressure is passed when actuating
the cylinders A and B as herein-after more particularly referred to. The
inner extremities of the cylinders or tubes B and C are attached to
pistons c and d respectively, the piston c being fitted within the
cylinder A, whilst the piston d is constructed to fit within the cylinder
or tube B. Attached to one end of the hydraulic cylinder A is the
scoop D, in which the charge for the retort is placed. The cylinder A,
with the scoop D, is supported within a loose bearing E (the form of
which is shewn more particularly at Figure 5, which is a transverse
section on the line a, b, Figure 1), through which the cylinder A is free
The loose bearing E is carried on rollers F, which rest on and
traverse upon girders G. The rollers F are prevented from running off
the girders G by means of checks G¹, as shewn at Figure 1. The
cylinder A is also partly carried within a cylindrical chamber H, herein-
after more particularly referred to, and this is supported on rollers I,
which rest on and traverse upon the lower flanches of the girders G, as
shewn more particularly at Figure 6, which is a transverse section on
the line c, d, Figure 1. The girders G are carried on brackets J, which
are attached by guides K to vertical guide pillars L. The guide
pillars L are mounted upon a platform or carriage M, which traverses
on wheels N a line of rails O, situated parallel with the charging ends of
the retorts. Attached to the guides K are chains f, which pass upwards
and over pulleys P, situate at the upper part of the guide pillars L. The
chains are conducted downwards and pass round pullies Q, carried
by brackets g, attached to the platform or carriage M, and are finally
connected to the piston of the hydraulic cylinder R, which is also
carried by the carriage M, as shewn more particularly at Figure 7, which
is a plan of the apparatus with the upper part removed in order to show
the hydraulic apparatus below. As the piston / is acted upon by water
under pressure being admitted into the cylinder R, the hydraulic
cylinder A, with the scoop D, may be raised or lowered to suit the level
of the retort about to be charged.
As shewn by the Drawings the scoop D and its connected apparatus
is at its lowest level, but by causing the piston / to travel to the opposite
end of the cylinder R, the scoop D will be raised to its highest level as
indicated by the dotted lines at Figure 5 of the Drawings. Attached to

page_text: screw j. The pinching screw j is provided with a pinion k, which gears
with a worm 1. The worm is connected by means of a rod m to a hand
wheel 2 (shewn in dotted lines at Figure 7). On the hand wheel n being
rotated the pinching screw jacts on the piston rod of the piston / and
secures it in any position within the cylinder R. A second hydraulic
cylinder S is also situated in and supported by the carriage M. The
piston rod p of the cylinder S is attached to a toothed rack q which
gears with a pinion situated at one end of a shaft s. At the outer
end of the shafts a bevil pinion t is placed which gears with a second
bevil pinion u, carried on the shaft a¹ of one of the pairs of wheels N.
As the piston within the cylinder S is actuated its motion is transmitted
through the toothed rack q, and pinion r, to the bevil pinions t and u,
and the wheels N, thereby causing the carriage to move forwards on the
line of rails O. The bevil pinion u is provided with a clutch o, by means
of which it can be put into or out of gear with the bevil pinion t when
required.
In charging a retort the outward end of the hydraulic cylinder or
tube C is connected by means of a coupling joint w, and a flexible
pipe T, to a water pressure main or pump, and the water under pressure
being admitted through the inlet pipe c¹ (as shewn more particularly at
Figure 4) fills the space between the ends of the pistons c and d and
the end of the hydraulic cylinder A, the pressure being still continued
the cylinder A with the scoop D is forced forwards until it arrives at the
end of the stroke, when the pressure acting on the piston d causes the
cylinder or tube B to more forwards, carrying with it the cylinder A
and scoop D, until the scoop D is advanced into the retort.
The position of the cylinder A and cylinders or tubes B and C is
shewn to an enlarged scale at Figure 1, Sheet 2 of the Drawings, as
having arrived at the end of their forward stroke, in which position the
scoop D is situated within the retort ready to deposit the charge. In
order to effect this the scoop D and cylinder A aro partially rotated on
their axis so as to deposit the charge in the retort. This operation is
effected by means of the cylindrical chamber H, through which the
cylinder A passes.
The cylindrical chamber H is divided by feathers U and V respectively,
as shewn more particularly at Figure 5, Sheet 1 of the Drawings. The
feather U is attached by means of studs and nuts x, or their equivalent

page_text: to the cylinder A, whilst the feather V is similarly attached to the
lower part of the cylindrical chamber H. An opening Z is situated on
each side of the fixed feather. V, through one of which openings water
under pressure is admitted. As water is admitted under pressure through
one of the openings Z, the space within the cylindrical chamber Hon
that side of the feathers U and V becomes filled therewith, and as the
pressure is continued the feather U, and with it the cylinder A and
scoop D to which it is attached are forced round within the chamber H,
thereby partially rotating or inverting the scoop D so that it deposits the
charge in the retort.
In lieu of these means for partially rotating or inverting the scoop D
and cylinder A as herein-before described, a short hydraulic cylinder
with chains, a rack and pinion, or the mechanical equivalent of either
of these acting on the cylinder A so as to partially rotate or invert it
with the scoop D, may be used. When the charge is thus deposited in
the retort the scoop D is withdrawn, this is effected by causing the water
to act upon the cylinders or tubes A and B in the reverse of that herein-
before described, and which will be better understood by referring to the
enlarged sectional view of the hydraulic cylinders Figure 1, Sheet 2, of
the Drawings. The water under pressure is cut off from the inlet pipe c²,
and is admitted into the cylinder or tube C. Situated around the cir-
cumference of the cylinder or tube C, and close to the piston d, are a
series of perforations a', through which the water issues until it fills the
annular space b¹, and as the pressure continues it acts upon the end of
the cylinder or tube B until it is drawn back with the cylinder or tube A
scoop D to the end of its backward stroke, in which position the
piston c becomes situated over the piston d, the position which it is in at
starting for the forward stroke. The water then passes through perfora-
tions e¹ formed in the cylinder or tube B close to the piston c, and
entering the cylinder A, thereby forces it backwards with the scoop D
until the entire apparatus is again in the position, shewn on Sheet 1 of
the Drawings, ready to commence another forward or charging stroke.
A cock may be provided at any suitable position in the hydraulic
apparatus for allowing the water which has been used for forcing it
outwards to escape when the return stroke is commenced, or the water
may be passed back through the tube c', as is well understood in con-
nection with hydraulic mechanism.
and
.

page_text: In place of withdrawing the scoop D by causing the water under
pressure to act on the cylinders or tubes in a reverse way, as herein-
before described and shewn on the accompanying Sheets of Drawings,
chains, racks and pinions, or other such apparatus commonly used for
drawing back hydraulic rams may be adopted.
-
At Figure 2, Sbcet 2 of the Drawings hereunto appended, is shewn a
portion of another modification of the retort charging apparatus in side
elevation, in which the use of the telescopic joints shewn on Sheet 1 of
the Drawings, for actuating the scoop D, is avoided by placing an
hydraulic cylinder A¹ below the scoop D, as shewn, the cylinder A' being
attached to one of the girders G. The extremities of the piston rod B¹
(which pass through stuffing boxes 6¹ formed on each end of the
cylinder A¹) are provided with pulleys C'. A fixed pulley D' is also
situated near each end of the cylinder A¹; a chain E¹ is attached at
each extremity to opposite ends of the cylinder A. The chain E¹ is
passed round the pulley C¹ and fixed pulley D', it is then conducted
back and passed again round the pulley C¹, from whence it passes to the
other end of the cylinder A', and round the other pulleys C¹ and D',
respectively situated at that end in a similar manner. The chain E¹ is
attached by means of a link c³, or its equivalent, to the rear end of the
scoop D, and according to the direction in which the piston travels
within the cylinder A¹ the scoop is advanced into or withdrawn from
the retort. The chain E¹ is reduplicated and passed round the fixed
pulley D', as herein-before described and shewn, in order to obtain an
increase of horizontal travel for the scoop D relatively with that of the
piston within the cylinder A³.
In lieu of using either of the arrangements of apparatus herein-before
described and illustrated on the accompanying Sheets of Drawings for
actuating the scoop D, an hydraulic pressure cylinder may be employed
therefor, the piston rod of which may be attached direct to the rear
end of the scoop D, in which case the stroke of the piston within the
cylinder requires to be the same as the travel of the scoop D.
Figure 3, Sheet 2 of the Drawings is a vertical section of my improved
apparatus for drawing retorts; Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional plan
thereof on the line x, x, Figure 3, whilst Figure 5 is an end elevation of
the same. As shown by these Figures the apparatus consists of an

page_text: hydraulic cylinder or tube A, which is supported on trunnions a situated
at the central part thereof in a swivel bearing B, which is carried in a
bracket C, attached to side rails D, which with the vertical standards E,
constitute the framing of the apparatus.
The arrangement of the swivel bearing B is shewn more particularly
at Figure 6, Sheet 2, which is a transverse section of the cylinder or
tube A, shewing a part of the front standard E on the line y, y,
Figure 3.
The cylinder or tube A is capable of being moved on the trunnions a
so as to raise or lower the front end, as indicated by the dotted lines at
Figure 3, Sheet 2, or the cylinder or tube A may be turned either to the
right or left as may be required, by means of the swivel bearing B. The
standards E are attached to and supported by a carriage F, which
traverses on wheels G a line of rails H, situated parallel with the drawing
ends of the retorts. A drawing rako or its equivalent I is attached
to the extremity of the piston rod 6 of a piston c, which is operated
within the cylinder or tube A. A fourway cock K is attached to the
standard E below the back end of the cylinder or tube A.
Attached to the spindle d of the cock K is a handle L, which is seen
more particularly at the end elevation, Figure 5, Sheet 2, by means of
which the attendant who stands on a platform or step M, attached to
the carriage F, by brackets F¹, actuates the apparatus. Leading from
the fourway cock K are two flexible pipes e and frespectively, the pipe e
being coupled to a pipe g, situated below the cylinder or tube A, and
which is attached to the inlet h at the front end of the cylinder or tube A.
The flexible pipe fis attached to the inlet i situate at the rearward end
of the cylinder or tube A. The water under pressure is admitted to the
fourway cock K by means of the pipe k, and as the handle L is turned
into either of the positions indicated by the dotted lines at Figure 3, the
water is admitted into the cylinder or tube A at that side of the piston c,
in which it is or may be required to act. A pipe N is conducted from
the cock K as shown more particularly at Figure 3, Sheet 2, to the front
end of the apparatus, and it terminates over the entrance of the retorts O.
As the rake or its equivalent I (which is indicated in dotted lines within
the retort O), draws out the charge of coke, water is passed through the
pipe N from the cock K, and it is thus thrown on the hot coke as the
latter falls from the retort O. A bevil pinion P is attached to one end

page_text: of the axle of one pair of the wheels G. The bevil pinion P gears
with a second bevil pinion Q, attached to the lower end of a spindle m,
which is supported in brackets n attached to the standard E. At the
upper end of the spindle m a hand wheel R is situated, which on being
turned by the attendant causes the carriage F to travel along the line of
rails H in whichever direction may be required. A pulley o is situated
on the spindle d, around which a chain p passes. This chain is attached
As the handle L is
to the rearward end of the cylinder or tube A.
moved the pulley o is partially rotated, and it by means of the chain p
elevates or depresses the front end of the cylinder or tube A. In cases
where there are two or three rows of retorts situated at different levels
two or more cylinders or tubes A may be arranged in the one framing,
as indicated in dotted lines at Figure 3.
It is obvious that the same apparatus which is used for charging, as
herein-before described and shewn on Sheets 1 and 2 of the Drawings,
may also be used for drawing retorts by employing cither the charging
scoop or drawing rake as required, it will however generally be more
convenient to have separate apparatus for each operation.
It is also obvious that the apparatus herein-before described and shewn
on Sheets 1 and 2 of the Drawings may be operated by compressed air or
steam or other fluids or liquids.
Lastly. It is to be understood that although the hydraulic apparatus
herein-before described and shewn on the annexed Drawings is repre-
sented in connection with a carriage or movable platform, yet it is
obvious that other arrangements of carriage or platform than that which
I have shewn may be adapted to the same hydraulic apparatus. The
carriage shown indicates only one such arrangement thereof, which may
be used for supporting the hydraulic charging or drawing apparatus.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement or construction of apparatus consisting of one
or more cylinders or tubes operated by hydraulic power, compressed air