4964. Carpenter, C., and Biggart, A. S. March 8. Gas retorts, charging and discharging apparatus for. Each device consists of a wheeled platform A having pillars G<1> supporting an upper platform A', and carrying a beam consisting of two channeliron girders C set on edge and facing one another. These girders are provided with lateral guides G sliding in contact with the vertical pillars, whereby they are firmly held against horizontal or inclined movement, but can be raised or lowered by means of straps D and chains D<1> passing over pulleys E which are mounted on a shaft receiving motion by worm gear from a shaft M driven by a belt from a motor B. The face ends of the chains carry counterbalance weights F. The special devices for discharging are shown in Figs. 1 and 6. A rake N is carried by a reciprocating-bar which passes through a socket Q carried by a transverse piece pivoted to two curved links R, the other ends of which are pivoted to a doable bar P sliding along the tops of the girders C, and carrying a chain pulley P<1> at each end. The inner end of the rake bar is provided with wheels or slippers N' moving on the bottom flanges of the girders C, and both ends of a chain 0 are connected to this end of the rake bar. The chain passes over the two pulleys P' and round a drum or fusee I', mounted upon a shaft I which is driven by bevel gearing from a square shaft J, which is itself driven from a shaft K receiving motion by a belt from the motor B. The shaft K also drives the travelling mechanism L. The operator stands upon the platform T. When it is desired to insert the rake into the retort, the tension is placed upon the chain, so that at first the bar P is pushed backwards, thereby also drawing back the curved links R. As these pass over fixed rolls, the rake is raised, enabling it to pass over the fuel. When the motion is reversed, by means of a handlever S connected to a bell shifter, the first effect is to lower the rake. The charging-apparatus, Figs. 7 and 12, is similarly provided with a double bar P, at the forward end of which is a pusher N*. The fuel is contained in a hopper a, and is intermittently discharged in small quantities by a rotary device b, operated by a crown-wheel g, on to a tipping-plate c, which delivers it on to a shoot d in front of the pusher. The tipping-plate is operated from the vertical shaft J' by a pinion, a rack rod j, and a rocking lever i. The shaft J<1> also receives motion from the crown-wheel g, which is itself driven from the shaft J. The pusher is lowered when it is driven forwards, and raised when it is withdrawn, by means of the link R and rollers Q<2> running on inclines C<1>. The pusher is operated by the crown-wheel g, which is provided with eccentrically-arranged studs k, which operate studs m on a drum l mounted upon an upper shaft and operating a multiple-grooved cam n, which acts on a belt shifter connected with the pusher chain drum or fusee. By this operation, the wheel g is reversed in motion, and operates a stud drum q which reverses the cam n and thereby again shifts the belt. The charge is introduced in five or six portions, the studs being set so that the pusher is projected and withdrawn as desired. The shoot d is moved into and out of the retort by a rack bar d<1> operated by a pinion on the square shaft J<2>.