US526516A - Apparatus for cremating garbage - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

T. MCLARK. APPARATUS POR CREMATING GARBAGE.

No. 526,516. l Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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5 Sheets-SheetZ. T. M. CLARK. A

APPARATUS POR GRBMATING GARBAGE.

Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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T. M. CLARK. APPARATUS POB. GRBMATING GARBAGE.

No. 526,616. Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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A u d 0 M o m No. 526,516. Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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MVWNSEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE M. CLARK, OF NEVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR CREMATING GARBAGE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,516, dated September 25, 1894.

Application iiled Tuly 13, 1893. Serial No. 480,389- (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE M. CLARK, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex `and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Oremating Garbage, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for cremating garbage, the ob" ject being to provide for more` conveniently and economically disposing ot garbage, and extracting therefrom marketable products, such as alcohol and acetic acid, and also utilizing hydrocarbon gas disengaged fromthe garbage as fuel to supply heat for carrying on the process.

The accompanying invention.

Figure l shows a plan of a plant constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2

drawings illustrate the `shows a vertical cross-section of the same.

Figs..3, 4 and 5 show sections on lines 33, 4-4 and 5--5 of Fig. `2. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show detail views of the retort doors. Fig. 9 shows a horizontal section taken below the door or roadway and above the condensing pipes and tanks. Fig. 10 shows a vertical section on an enlarged scale, of parts appearing in Fig. 2. Fig. 11 shows a horizontal section on an enlarged scale, of parts appearing in Fig. 5.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The plant here shown consists of a set of eight sector-shaped retorts a, placed around a central chimney b, and surrounded by a sunk passage-way c. The passage-way is covered either by tile arching or a platform of planks, which forms a circular road-way c around the retorts. Over this road-way, the garbage-carts travel, dumping their loads directly intothe retorts designated by the attendant, and mov` ingaway immediately. Each retortis designed to hold ten loads. The hatchways of the retorts have iron doors cl,so`hinged that, when open, they stand at an angle on each side,

and are supported by brackets d', as shown in Fig. 8, presenting a space wide enough to catchall the garbage fromthe most careless dumping; and, on closing them, everything is thrown into the retort. The doors fit closelyin l rabbeted iron frames, and are rabbeted where they meet, and a powerful lever fastening d2 makes all the joints tight. Vhile delivery is going on above, the Work of attending iires, cleaning tlues, shifting dampers, removing charcoal, and drawing o the liquids in the tanks, takes place in the passage-way below, which is reached by two flights of steps c2 on opposite sides, outside the cart-way. The whole is sheltered by a light structure e of corrugated iron.

Below each retort is a fire-box or combustion-chamber f, having a grate f over its bottom, and below the grate is an ash-pit f2. Communication may be had withthe retorts, combustion-chambers andash-pits from the passage-way c, through doors arranged as a furnace-front.

Tanks g are built in the sunk passage-way, and are for receiving distilled products of the garbage. Pipes h connect the retorts separately with a common circular pipe h', from `which pipes h2 extend to condensingpipes h3 on the exterior. These condensing pipes communicate with the tanks g. The pipes are suitably valved, for the purpose of cutting o communication between them and the retorts or any of them. Other pipes c' connect the retorts severally with a common i circular" pipe i', and pipes 2, communicating with` the flatter, extend to the ash-pits f2, where they divide into perforated tubes forming burners is along the opposite sides of the ash-pits, as shown in Fig. 1 1. p

The retorts comprise four sections, and for convenience the retorts are numbered from l to 8 in Fig. 5, and l Nos. l and 2, 3 and 4.-, 5 and` 6, and 7 and 8 form the sections. A chamber j extends over the inner side of each section between the same and the chimney;` and ports j provide communication between the chambers and the fire-box, said ports being closed by valves jf. There is one ofthese ports for each retort, and the chambers j are separated fromeach other. A circuitous tiue 7c passes around the chambers j between each two retorts. Directly opposite each point ofcommunication of the said due with these chambers, a port lo extends from the chamber into the chimney-flue. A valve k2 is tted in each radial branch of the flue 7c and is adapted to either close communication between4 the flue and the chamber jor between the latter and the chimney.l These IOO \. tending into the passage-way c,whe're they vss are provided with handles. Each alternate valve k2 is of sufficientlength to extend completely across the chamber j when drawn back to a certain position.

Inspecting the plant at any given moment, a tire is found burning under one of the retorts only, say No. l, the contentsiof which are at a temperature of about 1,000". The gases from the heated grease are nearly driven off and are passing to the. gas-tubes under the grates, where they are mixed with air and burning strongly. The heated products of combustion from the burning gas pass from the fire-box through the port j', the valve of whichis lifted, and into the chamber j and iiue-c, through which they circulate, as shown by the arrows, around all the retorts in succession, the valves 7a2 closing communication with the chimney, except at retort No. 8, where the valve is drawn back and opens communication at this point with the chimney, while it closes communication between the flue andthe chamber j.`

Thus the products of combustion, unable to go backward or to find any nearer outlet, are compelled to make the full circuit of the retorts before escaping. The second retort, receiving the heat with little diminution, is` at ya temperature of perhaps 800. The charge or garbage in it is rapidly disengaging inammable gases, which are collected and joined with those from No. l to supply the Iire under No. l. In the third retort, the temperature is still lower, and so on until the lastis reached,which is nearly cool. From this the charcoal residue has been removed, and it is ready to receive fresh garbage. By the time it is filled, the contents of No. l are thor.

oughly roasted, and production of gas from them has ceased. The valve of the port j at this retort is then dropped, by means of a rod extending through the domed top; the valve of the next port j is raised; the valve 7a2 between retorts Nos. l and 2 is drawn back, so as to cut off communication between the port j and the chimney; to No. 2. The products of combustion circulate as before, but froma starting-point one retort in advance. Retort No. 1, being now the last one reached by the heat, soon cools..

Its charred contents are then raked out into barrows, leaving it ready to receive the nextv ten loads of garbage. This process is repeated continuously, the fire beingv constantly shiftedaround the circle.

The chimney brick next the ilues. The lire-boxes are lined with fire-brick, and covered with a tlat archi of {ire-clay tiles, which forms the bottom of" the retorts. VThe walls of the retorts are of; fire-brick, and the top is formed by a double` dome of flat tiles, forming anair-space.A All the tileA arches and domes are laid in IPortand the gas fire is shifted the waste heat, leaving is of common brick, with fireland cement, except the joints exposed to lire, which are of fire-clay.

The plant is arranged so that all the valu able parts of the garbage may, if found profitable, be utilized. At a temperature of 190, which is about that of the last retort, alcohol, of which fermenting garbage containsa large quantity, distills over, and is led through the vapor-pipes h h h2 h3 to one of the condensing-tanks g, from which it may be afterward drawn for purification or sold directly to rectiiiers. When the temperature reaches 240, which willbe at theshifting of the iire, the alcohol will have been entirely vaporized, and acetic acid will begin to pass over, mixed with steam. This'is condensed into another tank, for sale or for treatment with lime. As soon as the steam ceases to contain alcoholor acetic acid in paying quantities, it is turned the condensed liquid, after cooling, is discharged into the sewer through a pipe m. The greasy solids remaining, being decomposed by further heating, furnish the gas for burning in the furnaces; leaving a iinal residue of animal and vegetable charcoal, rich in phosphates and potash, which will be valuable as a fertilizer.

The tanks g are divided into compartments of proper relative capacity,and the vaporpipes are provided with valves whereby the distillate may be directed as desired.l

Attention may be called to the following points of superiority in this form of disposal plant:

All garbage is dumped at once into `the retorts, and hermetically sealed. There -is no temporary storage, even-though a whole days supply may be delivered at once, and no rehandling. Sterilization takes place immediately, and. the contents of the retorts are not again exposed to the air until thec'harred resi due is raked out.

The action of the retorts is continuous. The fires never go out, night or day, but the process may be made rapid or slow, to suit varying conditions of delivery.

The vapors and gases from the retorts'are never allowed at any time to .escape into the open air, even through the chimney, the condensible vapors being all condensed in closed tanks, and the other gases burned in the furnaces.

The consumption of fuel is very small. The water from the garbage is evaporated by a residue of grease and d ry animal and vegetable matter, which, when further heated, produces an immense quantity of hydrocarbon gas, unmixed with steam, and probably sufficient to supply nearly if not quite all the fuel required after the first fewhundredpounds of coalused to start the process.

Thelabor cost is reduced is `no shoveling of garbage, benzine,

greatly. There no treatment with no picking out of tin cans, and, after IIO coal or removal of ashes; the handling consisting simply in opening and shutting the retort doors on the delivery of the loads, shifting the valves and dampers, and raking out the charcoal from the cool sections.

It is evident that the apparatus is susceptible of modification in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy l. A crematory, comprising in its constructiona plurality of retorts for containing the matter under treatment, combustion-chambers below the retort-s and separated from each other,a due extending around the sides of the retorts, valved ports for communication between said flue and the combustionchambers, a chimney, and valved ports for communication between the said chimney and the flue, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A crematory, comprising in its construction a plurality of :retorts for containing the matter under treatment, combustion-chambers below the retorts and separated from each other, a iiue extending around the sides of the retorts, valved ports for communication between said ue and the combustionchambers, a chimney, valved ports for cornmunicationbetween the said chimney and the flue, and pipes forming communication between the retorts and the combustion-chambers and adapted to convey hydrocarbon gas liberated from the matter under treatment to the combustion-chambers, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

3.- A crematory, comprising in its construction a circular series of retorts, combustionchambers below the same, a sunk passageway around the combustion-chambers, and a covering over said passage-way and constituting a road-way for vehicles delivering matter to the retorts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of July, A. D. 1893.

THEODORE M. CLARK.

Witnesses: p

A. D. HARRISON, F. PARKER DAVIS.

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