US634161A - Retort for carbonizing wood. - Google Patents

Description

No. S34-Jal.

Patented Oct. 3, |899.

W. H. BOWERS. RETORT FOR CRBUNIZING WOOD.

(Application led Dec. S, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT frrrcm WILLIAM HADFIELI) BOWERS, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

RETORT FOR CARBONIZING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,161, dated October 3, 1899.

Application led December 8, 1897. Serial No. 661,126. (No model.)

` To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HADFIELD BOWERS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at West Gorton ,Manchesteig in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful improvements in retorts for the carbonization of wood and other vegetable substances and the-dry ing of mannres, sewage, sludge, peat, and other substances and products, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 17,623, bearing date October 15, 1891,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvementsin retorts for the carbonization of wood and other vegetable substances and the drying of sewage and manures in large or small quantities, sludge-cake, (which is the residuum left on the top of the filter-bed when the sewage is filtered,) peat, and substances and products generally Whether in their natural state or when reduced by any ordinary method of condensation into a form convenient for being subjected to the action of the retort.

According to the said invention the retort is constructed with two or more parallel flues extending in a longitudinal direction along and within the retort and lying one above the other, but both or all, as the case may be, fed by the same furnace and finally discharging into the same outlet. For the purposes of more particular explanation I assume that the retort is constructed with two such flues; but it will be understood that the number of flues may be increased to any number that can be reached by the heat from the furnace. The space immediately over each iiue forms a chamber through which an endless chain with bars at suitable intervals and of such width as to sweep the ioor oi" lower surface of the chamber and carried upon sprocketwheels draws the substance or product to be operated upon (and which I hereinafter refer to as the material from the point where it is supplied to the retort along and over the upper iiue to the extremity of that flue, where the material falls into a space between such extremity and the sprocket-wheel onto the chain as it runs below. The material is then drawn by the chain in the reverse direction along and over the lower line until it falls over the extremity of that flue through any convenient aperture provided for its dis charge from the retort. The connection of the lower [ine with the higher iiue is effected by means of an elbow or outside flue at the point most distant from the furnace. The sprocket-wheels are placed in the same plane with and outside each end-of the upper flue at distances convenient for the proper working of the chain and the fall of the material when it reaches the extremity of the upper flue.

The gas driven off during the process escapes by ordinary condenser-pipes, leaving the gas from each chamber to bedealt with in the ordinary manner.

By means of the foregoing arrangement the heat from a single furnace is utilized to heat both the chambers, and the material as it is drawn through the lower chamber is exposed to heat coming from above as well as from below, with the result that labor and time as well as fuel are eeonomized.

The hopper by which the material is fed to the retortis constructed with a bottom hinged at the side farthest from the direction in which the chain travels, so as to fall downward and onto the chain. As the bars of the chain successively catch the lower edge of the hinged bottom they push the bottom onward and upward and close it wholly or in part, and as each bar passes clear from under the edge the bottom falls back, and so releases from the hopper a supply of material which falls onto the chain. The further passage of the material is regulated by means of a check or regulator consisting of a metal plate placed in and extending at right angles across the upper chamber at or near a point immediately beyond the space beneath the hopper, but opposite to the side to which the bottom is hinged. This plate hangs and works upon a rod which may or may not project through one or both of the sides of the retort and to which may be fitted a lever by means whereof the plate is raised or lowered as required to permit or regulate the passage of the material. If desired, the resistance of the plate may be automatically Aregulated by a weight upon the lever. The material is carried through and along each chamber bymeans of the successive bars of the chain.

In order that my invention may be more IOO clearly understood, I will now describe, by reference to the accompanying drawings, a mode or manner of carrying the same into practical effect, taking as an example a retort constructed with two flues and two chambers only. It is to be understood that, as before stated, a greater number of flues and chambers maybe employed and that the hopper and regulator, as described, maybe used for feeding any retort worked with an endH less chain passing longitudinally along the heating chamber or chambers.

Figure l represents the elevation of a retort constructed according to my said invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of such a retort. Fig. 3 is a plan showing the positions of the hopper, regulator with lever, and the endless chain and sprocket-wheels.

Similarlettersrefertosimilarpartsthroughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 2, the heat passes from the furnace at the point A into and through the lower ilue in the direction indicated in the drawings to the farther end of that flue, whence itis carried by an elbow or outside ilue A' into the upper fine, and so in the direction indicated to the point N, whence it is discharged into the outer air.

rThe material being placed in the hopper C is allowed by the hinged bottom e to fall upon the endless chain the bars G G of which alternately raise and lower the hopper-bottom c, thereby closing the hopper wholly or partly and effecting an intermittent feed of the material upon the chain G G in regular quantities, the material being then carried and swept by the chain against and past the regulator H, which spreads the same evenly across the surface of the chain. The regulator II, which forms an extension of one side of the hopper C and is pivoted to the sides of the drying-chamber, rises slightly while the material is passed underneath it bythe chain and is caused to retain its perpendicular position through its own weight or by means of the lever K, acting, if necessary, by means of the weight Il. The material is then carried or swept by lthe bars of the chain through the upper chamber and at the back end of the latter falls between the outer extremity of the ue N and the adjacent sprocket-wheel O onto the chain as it enters the lower chamber I), and so is carried or swept in the reverse direction through the lower chamber and between the upper iue and the lower l flue to the point Q at the extremity of the lower chamber, where it falls or is carried through a convenient aperture into a receptacle or is otherwise discharged from the retort.

The gases evolved during the process are carried oft by means of condensing-pipes R and R, fitted at convenient points.

The retortis set and heated and the sprocketwheels are driven in the ordinary manuel'.

I prefer to use the endless chain constructed as described; butany equivalent mechanical arrangement for carrying the material along the chambers may be adopted.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In retorts for carbonizing materials, a single endless bar-chain, running in a horizontal plane, a hot-air flue below the lower portion of the chain, a hot-air flue in the space between the upper and lower portions of the chain, a connection between the lower flue and the intermediate flue consisting of an outside elbow and an exhaust-pipe, connected with the spaces in which the chain travels.

2. In retorts for carbonizing and drying vegetable and other material, a single endless bar-chain rotated by two sprocket-wheels in a horizontal plane inside a chamber and a hopper for feeding the said chain with the material to be treated, the said hopper being furnished with a hinged bottom, adapted to ride upon and be raised and lowered alternately by the chain-bars, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a retort for carbonizing and drying vegetable and other material, a single endless bar-chain rotated by two sprocket-wheels in a horizontal plane inside a chamber, a hopper for feeding the said chain with the material to be treated, furnished at one side with ahinged bottom adapted to ride upon the said chain and on the other side with a pivoted regulator H forming an extension and operated upon by the material fed upon the said chain, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM IIADFIELD BOVERS.

Witnesses:

FERD. BossHARDT, STANLEY E. BRAMALL.

IOO

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