916

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

May 12, 1916.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS

RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

1206 (1915). Process for Treating Coal and other Material.
L. P. Burrows, of 380, McLeod-street, Ottawa, Canada.—■
Relates to the treatment of coal and all other solid substances
by means of the product obtained by heating water vapour,
and is based upon the observation that if coal and the like and
other solid substances are subjected to the action of the
gaseous product obtained by expanding steam, separating any
water suspended therein, and heating the expanded vapours
to a high temperature, decomposition or alteration of the
character of the solid material is effected. For example, by

-40

60-

'43

(46



'46



treating bituminous coal in this manner, magnetic and non-
magnetic metalliferous substances and carbonaceous matter
are obtained, as well as hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons
comprise a material which may be used as paint, illuminating
oil, and a distillate of low boiling point similar to gasolene
or petrol'. In addition, a. gaseous product is obtained free
from carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and the volume of
gas obtained from a given weight of coal is found to be
much greater than can be obtained by other processes. Fig. 1
is a plan; fig. 2 a sectional elevation through the digester;
fig. 3 a sectional elevation through the expander; and fig. 4
a perspective view of the circulating pipes for the steam and
gaseous reagent. The apparatus . comprises an expansion
chamber A, a digester B, and a series of separating chambers
0. The digester B includes a chamber E, in which the
material is treated, and for convenience in agitating the
material this chamber is constructed in the form of a rota-
table drum, having hollow side trunnions 1'0 and 11 secured
to the ends 12 and 13 of the drum. Suitable means are pro-
vided for heating the material in the drum, and in the
embodiment illustrated the treating chamber is surrounded
with a furnace or heating chamber F, constructed with a
suitable sheet metal shell 14, lined with firebrick or other heat
resisting material 15. The heating may be accomplished by
any of the well-known means, such as the gas burner 16
supplied with a gas supply pipe 17. The air for combustion of
the gas may pass in through the opening 18, and the products ,
of combustion flow’ out through the opening 19. The turn-
ing of the treating chamber is accomplished by convenient
means, such as the gear 20 mounted on the trunnion 11, and
driven from the pinion 21 on the countershaft 22, which
countershaft is supported by suitable bearings 23 and 24, and
driven from a pulley 25. The trunnions 10 and 11 are sup-
ported by bearings 26 and 27. The expansion chamber A,
shown in detail in fig. 3, is in the form of a cylindrical
vessel of considerable size, in which the steam is suddenly
expanded from substantially the centre of the container, being
introduced to the centre by a pipe 40, which extends through
the side of the chamber. On the top of the chamber is a
dome 41, from which the expanded and dried steam passes

into a delivery pipe 42. A weighted pop valve 43 leads from
the pipe 8 into the atmosphere, and serves to maintain a sub-
stantially uniform pressure in the said pipe. The pipe 42
also contains a control valve 44. The water separating out
is removed by a suitable valve outlet 45 at the bottom of the
chamber controlled by a ball float 46, wfliich causes the water
to flow off as soon as it rises to any considerable height in
the bottom of the chamber. A manhole 47 may be provided
for the removal of any sludge, normally closed by a door 48.
The steam which forms the basis of the gaseous reagent may,
when the process has once been started, be produced by the
heat radiating from the furnace F. To produce steam until
the chamber F reaches a suitable temperature, there is a gas
or other boiler G, of any convenient type, connected to a pipe
50, which supplies water in desired quantities. From the
boiler G a pipe 51 leads to the heating coil H, wfliich is
embedded in the brickwork of the furnace F, so that the
radiating heat of the furnace will vaporise any water in the
pipe. From the coil H a pipe 52 leads to the expansion
chamber A. From the expansion and radiation chamber the
resultant gas passes by the pipe 42 and a pipe 53 to suitable
coils I and J embedded in the walls thereof, whereby the gas
is superheated to a high temperature. When superheated,
the resultant gaseous product passes by the pipe 54 to the
valved injecting nozzle 55, which projects through the hollow
trunnion 10, having a gastight joint therewith, $nd dis-
charges the gaseous product into the chamber E to digest the
material therein. A suitable pressure gauge.56 may be pro-
vided to indicate the pressure at this point, and the flow mav
be controlled by a suitable valve 57. A portion of the gaseous
product may be utilised and burnt with the ordinary gaseous
fuel in the burners 16. For this purpose a valved branch 58
is provided leading from the pipe 54 to the pipe 17. The
gaseous products of the reaction in the chamber E pass
through the hollow conduit 60 leading to the side of the first
separating chamber C. All the separating chambers are con-
nected in series, as shown, and various products will be
separated in each of them. (Nine claims.)

6628 11915). Improvements in Bailway Hopper Wagons
and the like. W. Hodge, of 20, Palmerston-road, Southport,
Lancashire.—Relates to means of operating the doors of
railway hopper wagons and the like. The discharging doors
of railway hopper wagons and the like are generally arranged
in pairs, and operated by means of trunnion nuts adapted to
travel on rotatable screwed rods and connected to the doors
by links, so that both doors are simultaneously operated.
The present invention provides improved means for operat-
ing doors arranged in pairs, whereby either door of a pair
can be opened and closed independently of the other, and the
discharging or emptying of the wagon or the-like controlled
or regulated as required. There is provided, in conjunction
with each door of each pair of doors, a screwed rod mounted
in suitable bearings, and provided, with a handwheel or
other (appropriate means of t operation, and carrying a-
travelling nut, which is connected to the door by a link or
links or the like. Fig. 1 is a part side elevation; fig. 2 a
part transverse section; .and fig. 3 a plan of fig. 1 on the
line X—Y in fig. 2 of a railway hopper wagon. The hinged
doors a are arranged at an inclination to each other between
the middle longitudinals b of the wagon. At each side of
the wagon is a screwed rod c mounted in bearings d bolted
to the longitudinal b and the sole bar e. The rods c are
provided with operating handwheels f, and carry travelling
trunnion nuts g. 'On the trunnions of the nuts g one end
of links h are pivoted, and the other ends of the links are
pivoted to the doors a at /. The doors a are closed -and
retained closed by operating the rods to travel the nuts g
inwards. . To open the doors the rods c are operated in the
reverse direction to travel the nuts g outwards as shown
in dot-.and-dash lines in fig. 2. Each door may be operated
independently of the other, and by this means the discharge
of the contents of the wagon can be regulated or controlled

I

I
I





"O

€

as required. The doors may also be managed at any desired
inclination, though they will preferably be arranged so that
the entire contents can be discharged by the opening of only
one door; and the contents may be discharged at either side
of, or immediately below, the wagon or the like. (Two
flaims.)

7867 (1915). Combined Cornish Tubular Boiler and Air
Heater. F. L. McKinnon, of Spring Garden Iron Works,
Aberdeen. (Partly communicated by Roberto Okrassa, of
Antigua, Guatemala, Central America.)—An improved com-
bined internally fired boiler and air heater, for use in con-
nection with drying apparatus, comprising a boiler drum pro-
vided with, a flue and with return tubes, and traversed by air
heating tubes extending substantially parallel with the return
tubes, and affording a passage for air which is wholly isolated
from the combustion supporting air. Fig. 1 is a front eleva-

tion; fig. 2 a longitudinal section; and fig. 3 a plan. In the
drawings, 1 denotes a Cornish tubular boiler drum provided
with one bottom firing flue 2, containing the fire bars 3, the
rear part of said flue being reduced in diameter, and being
disposed eccentrically of and with its axis at a higher level
than that of the firing end, the‘arrangement being such that

the ashes will fall clear of the boiler. Adjacent to the flue
are return, fire tubes 4 traversing the water space, and con-
nected with the smoke box 5, and thereby with the chimney 61
The air heater proper comprises a series of longitudinally dis-
posed air tubes 7 traversing the hot water space above the
flue, and serving to impart heat to the air passed there-
through by means of a fan, the casing 8 of which is pre-
ferably mounted over the boiler and located adjacent to the
chimney; the inlet of the fan is connected to a preheater, pre-
ferably a helical duct 9, surrounding the chimney, through
which duct air entering at 10 flows in a direction contrary to
flow of the hot combustion products passing up the chimney;
the air leaving the fan. passes into the chamber 11, and thence
to the air tubes 7. At the discharge end of the air tubes 7
is a duct 12, which serves to connect the air heater with a
drying apparatus or the like. (Four claims.)

14968 (1915). Improvements in Rotary Engines, Pumps,
Compressors, and the like. K. Wittig, of Zell i/W, Baden,.
Germany; and E. Wittig, of 62, Holbeinstrasse, Basle,
Switzerland.—An improvement in or addition to the rotary
engine, pump, compressor, or the like, forming the subject
of patent No. 8455 of 1910. Besides the compensation of the
forces of pressure acting upon the inner side of the rotating
rings, an additional compensating force (weight or spring
pressure or fluid pressure) is caused to act in a direction
toward the point at which the content of the cells is the
smallest, and this, directed against the unbalanced centri-
fugal forces of the pistons, compensates the .latter, and
causes them, instead of applying themselves to the side of
greatest cell-content, to come into certain contact W’ith the
opposite side of the casing, and make a tight joint. Fig. 1
is a cross section ; fig. 2 a longitudinal section ; and fig. 3
is a diagram. The pistons b work radially in. slots in the
revolving drum a, within the casing c, only supported against
centrifugal forces by a broad rotating ring e, movably

arrangcd.in a recess in the casing’, and relieved of internal
pressure by shut-off compensating chambers on the outside
of the ring. In the casing c a chamber f is provided outside
the rotating ring e, into which chamber a pressure medium
is conveyed from a working cell by the passage g, in order
to exert upon the rotating ring a pressure directed down-
ward, in order to counteract the tendency of the piston to
shift the rotating ring in the direction of the point of greatest
cell content, and thereby to bring about a certain application
of the piston to the wall of the. casing on the opposite side.
The intrinsic weight of the rotating ring e and the pistons b
counteract part of the uncompensated upward centrifugal
forces; The frictional forces developed by the pistons, and
certain differences of pressure in. the slots behind the pistons,
as compared with the pressures in the working cells, bring
about a certain modification in the magnitude and direction
of the total uncompensated force, and must be considered in
the determination of the compensating pressure to be caused
to act in the pressure chamber f. The transfer of the com-
pensating force to the rotating ring is best effected. by a
fluid pressure mechanism. The extent of the pressure sur-
face on the rotating ring, and the pressure of the fluid
pressure mechanism, gives complete compensation for a given
number of revolutions per minute, but not for any other
number, since the force to be compensated increases with the
number of revolutions. For this reason, the .compensating
pressure of the fluid pressure mechanism may conveniently
be made to depend on the number of.revolutions.. This may,
e.g., be effected by generating the compensating pressure by
a centrifugal pump, connected to the rotary engine, and pro-
ducing a pressure which increases as the square of the
velocity. The pressure of the compensating fluid pressure
mechanism is controlled by a reducing valve, the loading of
which is effected by the centrifugal force of rotating weights,
and this force varies as the square of the revolutions, which
is exactly what is required. The whole valve may rotate at