US2614974A - Discharge device for vertical retorts - Google Patents

Description

F. J. WEST ET AL DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORTS Oct. 21, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed April 19, 1949 ,2 2 1 +322 2322 22ZZZ; 22%

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Oct- 21, 195 F. J. WEST ET AL DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORTS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 19, 1949 Patented Oct. 21, 1952 DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORTS Frederick Joseph West and Ernest West, Manchester, England, assignors to W-ests Gas Improvement Company Limited, Manchester, England, a British company Application April 19, 1949, Serial No. 88,446 In Great Britain April 21, 1948 1 Claim.

This invention relates to vertical retorts for the continuous carbonisation of coal and the like and is concerned with the means by which the coke is extracted from the base of each retort and delivered into the coke chamber below.

It is usual practice to effect coke extraction from a retort by a worm or helix on a vertical spindle which is turned slowly by suitable means. This arrangement whilst satisfactory in service does involve the imposition of considerable lateral thrust on the top end of the spindle due to out-of-balance forces, and necessitates a considerable vertical length of worm or helix bein employed to prevent self-discharge of the coke from the retort through the worm or helix.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved coke extractor which obviates or minimises the disadvantages indicated above and effects a more uniform rate of coke extraction.

In accordance with our invention, the extractor comprises a multistart helix with the leading edges radially or substantially radially disposed at the top surface of the extractor and the rear edge of each portion of a helix extending below and behind the leading edge of the next succeeding helix portion, the over-lappin part of the said rear edge being horizontal or substantially so and extending to such a distance beyond the said leading edge above that the coke can rest on the horizontal part at its natural angle of repose and so self-discharge is obviated.

Preferably we employ a two start helix with each portion extending slightly more than half way around the axis about which the extractor revolves. This arrangement provides two mouths or orifices through which coke extraction takes place. The leading edge of each helix is a cutting edge.

Referring to the accompanying explanatory drawings;

Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views taken at right angles to one another of a vertical retort with its coke chamber, having a coke extractor constructed in one convenient form in accordance with this invention.

Figures 3 and 4 are views of the coke extractor shown in Figures 1. and 2 but drawn to a larger scale.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 55 of Figure 4. v

a is the vertical retort in which coal carbonisation is effected and b the coke chamber into which the coke extracted from the base of the vertical retort by the coke extractor is received and retained until it is discharged by opening the discharge door 0. The coke extractor d which also serves to support the charge in the retort, comprises a multi-start helix upon a vertical spindle e which is revolved slowly and generally intermittently by a worm and worm wheel turned by a pawl and ratchet wheel g. The illustration shows a two start helix, with each portion extending slightly more than half way around the axis about which it turns. The leading edge h of each helix is a cutting edge and is radially or substantially radially disposed at the top surface of the extractor and the rear edge 1' of each portion of a helix extends below and behind the leading edge of the next succeeding helix portion, the overlappin part 7' of the said rear edge being horizontal or substantially so and extending to such a distance beyond the said leading edge above, that the coke can rest on the horizontal part at its natural angle of repose and so self-discharge is obviated.

The arrangement illustrated provides two mouths or orifices through which coke extraction takes place.

With our improvement we can use a relatively short axial length of helix whilst effectively 0bviatin self-discharge of the coke. In addition the use of two extraction orifices gives a balancing action on the spindle carrying the extractor.

We claim:

In a vertical retort for the continuous carbonisation of coal and the like in which a revolving coke extractor upon a'vertical axis is arranged at the base of the retort to support the charge in the retort and to effect extraction therefrom, the improvement which comprises the formation of the extractor as a multistart helix with the leading edges substantially radially disposed at the top surface of the extractor and the rear edge of each portion of a helix extending below and behind the leading edge of the next succeeding helix portion, the overlapping part of the said rear edge being substantially horizontal and extending to such a distance beyond the said leading edge above, that the coke can rest file of this patent:

4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date on the horizontal part at its natural angle of 1,011,425 Glover et aL Dec 12, 1911 response to obviate self-discharge; the axial of 1,491,036 Glover et a1 22 1924 said extractor being relatively short as compar 5 1525369 Sparks 10, 1925 Wlth Its dlameter- 2,082,270 West June 1, 1937 FREDERICK JOSEPH WEST- 2,525,973 Sundstrom et 21. Oct. 17, 1950 ERNEST WEST.

FOREIGN PATENTS REFERENCES C TE 10 Number Country Date The following references are of record in the 329,327 Great Britain y 1930

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