CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS. 77 



PLATE IV. 



BRUNTON'S PATENT. 



Fig. 1. represents a front view of a bench of four retorts, upon Mr. Brun- 

 ton's principle. 



A A . . are the retort-mouths, the lids of which are fitted with stuffing- 

 boxes, for the reason to be presently described, and permanently jointed 

 in their places with iron cement. 



B B . . are hoppers, capable of holding from 20 to 28 Ibs. of coal, which, 

 when an air-tight slide-valve C is drawn back, falls into the retort 

 through the neck D : the valve is closed immediately. 

 E is the furnace, projecting beyond the face of the brickwork in which 



the retorts are set. 



F F . . are handles for working a piston contained in the mouth-piece A. 

 Fig. 2. is a transverse section of one half of a bench. The retorts G, 

 shown as circular, may be varied in form if thought necessary. I believe the 

 patentee gives the preference to those of a D shape. 



E is the furnace ; the direction of the flues are shown by arrows. 

 Fig. 3. is a longitudinal section through the centre of the furnace. 



H is a short pipe, open to the interior of the retort, sealed at the lower 



end by dipping into water, through which, after a charge is thrown 



into the retort from the hopper B, a portion of coke is expelled, by 



advancing the piston contained in the mouth-piece. 



I is the pipe by which the gas, as it is formed, passes to the hydraulic main. 



K is a bonnet, to be taken off at any time when required to examine the 



interior of the retort. 

 Fig. 4. is a back view of Fig. 1. 



Fig. 5. is a plan below the retorts. (The same letters refer to correspond- 

 ing parts in all the figures.) 



The annexed diagram (Fig. 19.) will explain the construction of the piston 

 before alluded to. 



a is the piston, drawn back in the proper position to receive a charge, 

 which, when the slide-valve is opened, will fall into the space 6, and be pro- 

 pelled forwards into the heated part of the retort by turning the screw c, which 

 works in a nut d on the back of the piston. 



