US271231A - Apparatus for making gas - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

H. D. FITCH.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS. No. 271,231. Patented Jan. 30,1883.

- A A i V w i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY D. FITCH, OF LEBANON, KENTUCKY.

APPARATUS FORMAKlNG GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 271,231, dated January 30, 1883.

Application filed May 24, 1882. -(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HENRY D. FITCH, of Lebanon, in the county of Marion and State of Kentucky, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Gas; and Ido hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in gas retorts and settings, the object of the same being to provide a retort or series of retorts adapted to be reversed or turned upside down, so as to present the top or upper surface of the retort or retorts to the action of the fire when the lower side or sidesthereof begin to burn.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide means whereby entrance is gained to the interior of the retorts for the purpose of removing the fixed carbon and other dbris without removing or disturbing the oil-inlet or the gas-outlet.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for removably holding the retorts in position, so as to enable them to be removed for the purpose'ot' turning them, or for any other purpose; and with these ends in View my invention consists. in certain details in construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of my improved generator, showing a bench of four retorts; and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.

The furnace or generator in which my improvements are placed can be constructed of masonry or any other suitable material, and consists of an upper or heating chamber, A, in which the retort B rests, the fire-box G, and theash-pit D, the said tire-box and ash-pit being provided with suitable doors, by means of which fuel is introduced into the furnace and the ashes removed therefrom. The retorts B are made ofcastmetal, preferably ofthe oblong form shown, so as to enable them to be reversed or turned top side down, as will hereinafter be described, and each retort is provided at oppositeends withfouropenings,(two ateachend,)E E E E the openings E being for the passage of the oil into the retorts, the openings E being for the exit of gas from the retort, while the two lower openings, E and E which are situated near the lo weredge of theretort, are for thepurpose of gaining access into the interior thereof for the purpose of removing the fixed carbon and other debris. The two lower openings, E and E are adapted to be closed by the screwthreaded plugs F, which latter are removed when it is desired to clean out the retorts, When it becomes necessary to turn the retort for any purpose whatever, the two openings E and E would act respectively as oil-inlet and gas-outlet, while the two openings E E would be closed by the stoppers. The abovearrangement of openings serves a twofold purposeviz.,to enable the oil-inlet and gas-outlet connections or pipes to be quickly connected to the retorts when the latter are turned without changing or altering their structure, and also enable the interior of the-retorts to be reached without disconnecting the above-mentioned pipes.

When it is desired to clean out the retorts' now in common use, it is necessary to remove either the oil-inlet and gas-outlet pipes, or both, to get at the deposited carbon; but this is objectionable for the reason that by the constant unscrewing of the inlet and outlet pipes the threads thereof soon become worn and useless, and consequentlyrender new pipes necessary; but by my improvement, when the threads of the screw-plugs F become worn, new plugs can be substituted in a short space of time at a slight cost. i

'In the drawings I have shown a bench of four retorts placed side by side, with suitable spaces between them for the free passage of the heated air and products of combustion between and over the top of the several retorts.

G is a flue through which the smoke passes from the furnace.

The retorts, as before stated, are oblong in shape, and are of thesame length as the fur.- nace, so as to enable the opposite ends of the said retorts to rest flush with or slightly beyond the front and rear walls of the furnace. In these front and rear walls of the generator or furnace are formed one or more openings, as the case may be, which openings are of the same height as the retorts, but slightly wider than the combined widths thereof, so as to enable the proper spaces to be left between the torts need be made.

said retorts for the passage of the heated air and products of combustion. The ends of the retorts rest'in the said openings, and are secured therein by the metallic plates H, which latter somewhat resemble in shape the divisionplate between the holes on top of an ordinary cooking-stove and greatly simplify the present method of removing the retort, which consists in taking them out through the top of the generator or tearing away the masonry front. The plates H are slightly longer than the ends of the retorts, and are secured in position, respectively, to the front and rear walls of the generator by bolts or by any suitable means. The two side edges of the plates H conform in shape to the sides of the retorts, so as to fill up all the space between them and cause them to bear firmly against the'sides of the openings in the front and rear walls. By simply removing a plate H any two retorts can be taken out or turned without affecting the others.

In this construction of generator I have shown a bench of four retorts arranged in pairs. In this form two openings of the same size would he made in the front and rear walls of the generator, into each of which is placed a pair of retorts, held in place by four plates H, twoin front and two behind. If it is only necessary that three retorts be used, only one opening in each wall of width sufficient for the three re- In this latter construction four plates H would be required-two in front and two behind. Instead of making one opening in the front and rear walls of-the generator answer for two or more retorts, a separate opening can be made for each retort. In this instance the plates H would overlap or project over the adjacent edges of the retorts and hold them firmly in position without longitudinal movement, while the partition between two of the retorts would prevent them from moving laterally. In the first construction' described the plates H also overlap the adjacent edges of the retorts and prevent all longitudinal as well as lateral movement.

My improvement is simple in construction, and by its use a great saving in retorts and connecting parts is obtained, as well as repairing expenses to the general plant.

It is evident that changes in the construction and form of my improvements can be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes as come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware that retorts have been construct ed and adapted to be reversed, so that as one side becomes clinkered and burned the retort may be reversed and its opposite sides subjected to the direct action of the heat, and hence I make no broad claim to a reversible retort.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A reversible gas-retort provided at each end with two openings, located at the top and bottom of the retort, all of said openings being equal in size, in combination with plugs for closing either the upper or lower openings, substantially as set forth. V

'2. A reversible gas-retort provided at each end with two openings, located at the top and bottom of the retort,in combination with plugs for closing the lower openings at each end of the retort, an oil-inlet pipe communicating with the upper opening at one end of the retort and a gas-outlet pipe communicating with the upper opening at the opposite end of the retort, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a furnace having perforated walls, of two reversible gas-retorts and a holding-plate constructed to overlap the adjacent edges of the retorts at their sides and partly encircle their upper and lower sides, thereby serving to support the retorts and in sure them against displacement, substantially as set forth. 1

In testimony whereof I have, signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY D. FITCH.

- Witnesses:

F. WILSON, I G. J. EDMONDS.

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