US711905A - Process of manufacturing coke. - Google Patents

Description

No. 7|l,905. Patentedct. 2|, |902.

T. S. C. LOWE.

PROCESS 0F. MANUFACTURING COKE.

(Application med i915. 25, 1902.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Det. 2|, @02.

T. s. Ic. Lowa.

PROCESS CF MANUFACTURING COKE.

(Application led Feb. 25. 1902.)

3 SheetSv-Sheet 2.

(lo Model.)

Patented Oct. 2|, |902.

T. s. c; L0w|-:. PROCESS 0F MANUFAITURING COKE.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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THADDEUS S. C. LOVE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,905, dated October 21, 1902. Original application led Tnly 12, 1901, Serial No. 71,751. Divided and this application filed February 25, 1902. Serial T "o @ZZ whom, it wutyconccrn:

Beit known that I, THADDEUS S. C. LOWE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles,Oalifornia, have invented ce rtain Improvements in Processes of Manufacturing Coke, (the same being a division of my application filed July l2, 1901, Serial No. 7l,751,) of which the following isa specilication.

The object of my invention is to improve the process of manufacturing coke whereby a portion of the gas evolved from the coking material is utilized to keep up the heat of the ovens and of a superheating-chamber when such chamber isvused and the remainder of the gas is utilized in the form of a fixed gas by permitting steam to pass through the ovens and mixing the decomposed steam with the gas evolved from the material which is being coked.

The process is intermittent, air being first admitted and mixed with the gases to heat the ovens and the air being then cut ed and steam admitted to Yunite with the gas, which is fixed and saved.

The process can be carried ou by first directing the air or steam through the apparatus in one direction and then reversing the direction of the flow as desired in the inanner fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a sectional elevation of the complete apparatus through line b. Fig. 2 shows a sectional ground plan ofthe same apparatus through line a. Fig. 3 shows an exterior elevation of the same apparatus. Figa shows a cross section of one of the coke ovens through line c. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the apparatus; and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line (l, Fig. 5.

In the manufacture of coke two general principles are employed. The one most generallyin use is known as the beehive oven, so called from its shape. In the center of the arch of these ovens is a charging-hole,throu gh which coal is introduced and leveled over the bottom of the oven to a depth of from one to three feet, the oven being preheated. On one side of the ovens is an opening bricked up to within a few inches of the top, and through the opening thus left air is drawn into the (No model.)

oven for admixture with the gases evolved from the charge of coal. This mixture being ignited maintains the heat of the oven, thereby continuing the evolution ot gas from the coal until the same is thoroughly coked. During the early stages of the cokiug period large volumes of combustible gas escape from the charging-hole of the oven and, igniting, burn in the open air, and the resulting heat from this secondary combustion is entirely wasted. After the gases have been extracted and the solid portions of the coal have been entirely converted into coke water is introduced directly onto the coke in sufficient quantities to cool itand to enable laborers to draw the same out through the opening in the side, which is made larger by removing the loose brick at that portion of the oven. This wasteful and slow method of producing coke is now more generally used than any other system simply because ofthe superiorquality ofcoke made by reverberatory heat in internally-fired ovens. Many attempts have been made, but with slight success, to produce coke in a shorter time, where the coke in an incandescent state is discharged and cooled outside of the oven principally for the purpose of retaining the heat, which is entirely lost in the aforementioned system. Other forms of ovens are employed to a limited extent, and the builders of the same have made efforts to overcome the difliculties of heating their ovens by utilizing a portion of the gases produced for that purpose; but as they are heated externally, the same as the ordinary gas-house retort, nearly all of the gas produced is required to keep up the necessary heat, and then the coke is inferior to that produced in the internally-heated ovens. Among the numerous difficulties in the way of an economical production of coke under these systems is the one of keeping up the heat inside of these large retorts, owing to the necessarily very thick {irebrick walls, which allow very little gas to be saved above that necessary to keep up the heat, and, again, the peculiarconstruction of these ovens makes them subject to frequent expensive repairs.

The dilference between my process and the process above described is that instead of heating the ovens externally for producing IOO coke I perform the heating internally and depend upon the reverberatory heat of the arches to do the coking, precisely as in the beehive type of oven, with the additional improvement over the beehive oven of so arranging the apparatus that the air for coiny bustion of the gas arising from the coke is y in taking off and saving the surplus gases arising from the eoking coals. So far there have been no coke-ovens in use Where the heating of the ovens has been intermittent, and the gases evolved from the coal by the heat reflected from the internally -heated arches have been saved.

To give a clearer lidea of my invention, I will noW describe the drawings, and later on the processes of its operation.

1 is a steam-generator and air-heater having a non-conducting lining and loosely filled from top to bottom with metal bars 2, preferably of cast-iron, forming what I term a regenerative steam-generator.

3 is a water-pipe having a Water-spraying nozzle for spraying water over the heated bars 2.

4 is an air-blast valve for admitting air at the top of the air-heater and steam-generator.

5 is a valved openingin to the smoke-stack 6.

7 is a gas-take-off pipe.

8 is a flue connecting the steam-generator 1 with superheating-chamber 9.

10 represents loosely-laid fire-brick filling chamber?) to the bottom of flue 20.

12 13 14 15 are coke-ovens separated by partition-Walls 11.

16 is a second superheating-chamber loosely piled with fire-bricks, the same asin the chamber 9.

17 is a second gas-pipe for conveying gas from the coking apparatus.

1S is a second steam generator and airheater in` every Way like 1 as to construction, valve, stack, Water-sprayer, &c.

19 represents movable doors or lids for opening the ovens for discharging the coke.

2O represents flues through which the gases and products of combustion pass While heating the arches of the coke-ovens and taking od gases from the same. Each of these flues is placed opposite to a pier or solid part of thepartition-Walls 21 in the present instance. This arrangement is for the purpose of breaking up the currents of heated gases for more intensely heating the arches and brickwork of the oven, as Well as to mix the vapors and 23 and provided with valves 26. These ues have slot-openings 24 for delivering atmospheric air into the iiues 20. In this case there are two ovens between each blast-pipe.

27 is a discharging-ram for pushing the coke out of the coke-ovens onto a car 28.

35 is a pipe for hydrocarbon oils, having valved branch pipes 36 leading to the cokeovens and to the superheating-chambers. i

When it is desired to put these coke-ovens and other-apparatus connected therewith into operation, I first heat the ovens, superheaters, steam-generators, and connecting-fines in any manner desired. I then charge bituminous coal or other suitable coal into the coke- ovens 12, 13, 14, and 15 through openings or charging-holes 29. The pipes 7 and 17 are closed either by valves or water seals, and valve 5 in smoke-stack 6 is opened. The coal in all the coking-ovens is then ignited and a blast of air is forced through valve 30, WhichV in passing down through the metal bars is heated, and after passing through flue 31 passes up through the loosely-laid firebrick in chamber 16, then out through dues 2O over the coal contained in coke-oven 15. The air mixed with the rising gas andthe mixture is burned, and after passing over the coal in oven 14 the gases of combustion become recarbonated, forming a mixture of carbonic-oxid and other gases. They then receive a fresh supply of air through middle pipe 23 and air-slot 24, and the mixture is again burned as it passes through the fines 2O in the partition or bridge Wall separating the ovens, intensely heating the arch of oven 13 and being again recarbonated in oven 12, after which the gases are again mixed with air from another set of tlues 23 and the mixture is burned in chamber 9. In this chamber the heat of the products of combustion IOO brickwork 10. Then the remaining heat of the products of combustion is imparted to the open iron bars in stack 1, said products of combustion finally escaping through valved opening 5 into the open air comparatively cold. In smallworks having a limited coalsurface area the successive admixture of air with the gases of combustion in heating the ovens would not benecessary, one air-blast from superheater 1G being used for admixture with the gases arising from the eoking coals fory heating the walls and arches and a second blast of air for admixture with the gases as they enter superheating-chamber 9 for heating the open brickwork therein contained. These operations will heat the arches of all the coke-ovens to a high degree and cause a giving off of volatile gases from the bituminous coal contained in the coke-ovens. I now close the air-blast 30 and also the valved opening 5. Then I introduce water, preferably in the form of a spray, through pipe 32. The iron bars are still sufficiently hot to generate steam, which steam becomes y gradually heated until the same has passed IIO through fine 31, and then becomes further heated by passing up through the open or checker-work brick contained in chamber 16, so that when broughtin contact with the volatile matters rising from the coal this highlyheated steam becomes decomposed in con-v tact with the more solid portion of said volatile matters, until it finally becomes a mixture of hydrogen, carbon-monoxid, or water gas and hydrocarbon gas. If vit is desired to enrich this gas to bring up the candle-power to the usual standard of gas furnished for lighting purposes, hydrocarbon oils are kintroduced at any point most desirable between the superheating-chambers 9 and 16. These extra hydrocarbons will immediately become volatilized in contact with the cokin g coals and the highly-heated brickwork and, mingled with the gases from the water and coal, will pass together into chamber 9, which has been previously highly heated, and after passing through this mass of open fire-brick to more thoroughly fix the gases they escape through pipe 7 into the usual washers, scrubbers, and purifiers on their way to places of storage or consumption. This method of introducing steam, owing to its very high degree of heat,

does not materially reduce the temperature of the ovens below that at which the steam has been snperheated-say anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000O Fahrenheit-but, on the other hand, will tend to somewhat add to the heat during the decomposition of the highly-heated steam. The evaporation of the gases from the coal contained in all of the chambers will have a tendency to slowly reduce the temperature of the arches and surrounding brickwork below the point desirable for coke-making. At this point the heat is restored in the following manner: Stack-valve 33 is opened and air admitted through the center and right-hand blast-pipes 23 and also through valved pipe 4, first introducing water through pipe 3 into generator 1 to generate steam for driving out the gases to prevent explosions. The air becomes intensely heated in passing through the generator 1 and checker-work 10 in the superheater 9. Hence when it reaches the coking-chambers 12 13 and is mixed with the gases evolved from the coal therein the burning of these gases restores the heat taken vaway by the previous volatilization of the coal and any excess of hydrocarbons which may have been introduced. The gases are again mixed with a blast of air from the center blast-pipe 23, and after being burned in the ovens 14 and 15 and highly heating the arches thereof is lastly mixed with air and burned in flue 20 while leaving oven 15, and the heat of the products of combustion is again stored in and among the loosely-laid fire-brick in chamber 16, the last of the heat being taken out while said products are passing up through the metal bars in steam-generator 1S, the products being finally discharged through stack-valve 33 comparatively cool. Thus the process of heating, followed by taking oft the gases, is an alternating and intermittent one, and when all of the coal con tained in the various coke-ovens has become converted into coke from top to bottom all of the volatile gases will have been utilized either in heating the apparatus or conveyed to points of storage or consumption.

I will describe one complete method of carrying out my improved process, although this may be slightly varied without departing from the main features of my invention. If, for instance, the several ovens and regenerators have been brought to a high heat and the coal to be coked is placed in the several ovens, air is admitted through the pipe 4 into the generator or heating-stack 1 and passes through the same and into the superheatingchamber 9 and then through the upper portions of the coke-ovens, uniting with the gases evolved from the coke in the first oven, and consequently forming a combustible mixture which is burned in the several succeeding ovens, air being admitted to aid combustion and additional gas being supplied from each of the successive ovens. The products of combustion then pass through the superheating-chamber 16 and through the steam-generator and air-heater 1S and out from the stack. When the ovens are brought to the desired heat, the air-valve and the stack are closed and the apparatus is then in condition to make gas. Water is admitted through the pipe 3 and coming in contact with the heated metal bars in the generator 1 is converted into steam,which is highly superheated asit passes through the chamber 9, and as it passes through the several ovens mingles with the gases evolved from the coke, and the collected gases pass into the chamberv 16, where they become fixed and are carried off through the pipe 17. After this operation has been carried on for a certain length of time the temperature of the chambers becomes lowered. The water is then cut oft and water is admitted through the pipe 32 for the purpose of driving the gases remaining in the apparatus to the opposite end, so as to avoid explosion. The air-pipe 30 is then opened and the stackvalve 5 is opened. Thus air adlnitted to the generator 13 becomes highly heated in passing through the said generator and the chamber 16, and as it passes through the upper portion of the several ovens it mingles with the gases evolved from the coking coal and combustion takes place within the ovens, which brings the heat of the ovens up again.

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The products of combustion then pass into generator 18, which becomes superheated in the chamber 16 and passes through the upper portions of the ovens, mixing with the gases evolved from the coking coal in the ovens and passes into the chamber 9, where it becomes fixed by coming in contact with the highlyheated brickwork, and is then carried off through the pipe 7, and the above operation is repeated. It will be seen that the air passes iirst in one direction, then steam is passed in the same direction, then air is passed in the `reverse direction, and the iiowof steam in the same direction follows. It will be under` stood that in some instances if airis passed through the apparatus in one direction the steam may pass through the apparatus in the opposite direction, and this may be followed by a iiow of air in the same direction. The Superior heats obtained by this method will coke the coal in much less time than by any other known method, and by the extra intensity of the'heat the coke becomes more firm and hard and will carry stock in a blast-furnace or cupola equal to if not better than coke produced by the best coking systems now known, in addition to which all of the gases are saved and utilized without the use of any other fuels in producing the coke and gas.

If the coal has been placed in the ovens at diierent intervals, which in practice will be found the best method of operating a battery ofr ovens on this plan, I discharge the ovens in order, iirst taking those which have been the longest time exposed to the heat. For instance, if it .is to be a twenty-four-hour coke one of the four ovens will be discharged every six hours; if a battery of twelve ovens, the coke would be discharged from one of the ovens every two hours. In this way there is at all times a continuous even iiow of gases coming oli from the coal, more than two-thirds of which can be saved for commercial purposes and the other third used to heat the brick and iron work.

The part of the hydrocarbons that is most eiicient in aiding the decomposition of steam is that portion rising from they coal in a feathery lampblack form and which in ordinary gas-works is now usually condensed into tar. Thus the permanent hydrocarbons or illuminauts are not much, if at all, affected in this operation. n

Care should be taken not to introduce over the coals more air or highly-heated steam than is necessary tobnrn the gases, and thus prevent either the atmosphere or the oxygen of the steam from attacking the solid coke in the ovens. Therefore the combustion and decomposition of the gases are only partial, except when the gases are last burned before entering the open brickwork chamber, when sufcient air should be introduced to perfectly burn the gases, and thus store up the largest amount of heat possible. The end ovens being the nearest to the superheating-chambers will become the hottest and the gas will be driven off in less time either the end oven or the one that has beenA longest exposed to the heat. In this way the steam for producing the water-gas will be decomposed before it reaches the open-work superheating or fixing chamber.

The object of the second stack of ironwork in the steam generating stack above the water-sprayer is to so heat the atmospheric blast that it will not reduce the temperature in the iron bars in the lower portion of the steam-generating stack below the point that will thoroughly convert into steam all the water introduced and bring the same to a high degree of heat even before it iinally reaches the fire-brick superheaters. In this method of construction I also extract more of the heat from the products of combustion while on their way out of the stack.

As above noted, all my coking-chambers herein described contain tire-brick partitionwalls forming a number of smaller chambers, each partition` having tlues in the upper portion of the same, which fines are preferably so placed that the gases in passing from one coking-chamber to the other are made to discharge under an arch and against a wall or pier on the opposite side of each chamber, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to break up the current of hot gases and to more intimately bring the same into contact with the greatest possible amount of heated surfaces while passing in either direction to the superheaters through the various fines, over the coking coals, and under the arches covering each coke-oven.

In order to accomplish the coking of coal in a Vshorter time than is the ease in other internally-heated ovens, it will often be found advantageous, inV addition to highly heating the air, to also increase its volume to a point that would ordinarily consume a portion of the solid coal or coke in the chambers, more especially in those chambers nearest to the superheaters, and to avoid this danger of injury to the coke I introduce any suitable ashless volatile carbon or hydrocarbons-such as tar, asphaltum, or heavy crude hydrocarbon oils or oil residuals-onto'the top of the coking coals. The coke resulting from these ashless carbons being on the top surface of the coking coals, even should an excessive amount of heated air or highly-superheated steam come in contact with and consume a portion of the above-described ashless coke it would in no way injure the coke made from coals by leaving an excessive amount of ash, as would be the case if the coking coals were not thus protected. Among the ashless carbons to be introduced onto the coking coals ormixed with the coal before charging into the ovens are those carbons carried over from the cokeovens and afterward washed and condensed out of the gas in the usual way of cleansing illuminating-gas. Much of this ICO IIO

`residuum ioats with the Water inthe form of fine feathery coke or lampblack and is collected in suitable screens, While the liquid and heavy tar is separated from the fixed gases in suitable Washers and scrubbers. All of these carbons may be mixed and returned to any one or more of the ovens onto the top of the coking coals; but I prefer to mix the fine lampblack sort of carbon with the coals before they are charged into the ovens and to introduce the more liquid tarry portions of the residuals onto the top of the coking coals, preferably into the ovennext to the superheater from which the hottest air-blast is taken and which usually make this oven the hottest. Simultaneously I spray water over the iron bars in the steam-generator, which is instantly converted into steam and While passing over vthe highly-heated brick- Work in the superheaters becomes so heated that when it comes in contact with the feath- -ery carbon or lampblack rising from these ashless carbons and that of the coal the highly-heated steam becomes decomposed by taking up sufficient of the volatile carbon to `form carbon monoxid and liberating the hydrogen of the steam. These gases then pass olf through a second superheater, Where the mixed gases are more thoroughly fixed, and any remaining particles of carbon and steam are there decomposed in the usual Way, as shown in my Water-gas patent of September 1l, 1875, No. 167,847.

The principal object of first bringing the steam to a high degree of heat before bringing the same into the ovens and over the coking coals is to prevent the passages and the arches of the coking-ovens from being too much reduced in temperature, and thereby check the process of coking While taking o the surplus gases not needed in keeping up the heat in the process of coking. After a time this steam-superheater.Will become loW- ered in temperature to a point that will not keep up the heat in the top portion of the coking-ovens, which are also gradually reduced in temperature, due to the volatilization of a portion of the coal. I then restore the heat to the ovens and to the superheaters last used for superheating steam and the iron bars in the steam-generator connected With this superheater by reversing the current of gas and air for consuming the same in the ovens and the superheaters, when the operation proceeds as before.

Vhenever the coking-ovens, superheaters, steam-generators, and brickwork have once become sufficiently heated to operate satisfactorily, it Will require, according to size of works-say those of moderate capacityabout twenty minutes to take off the surplus gases, while fifteen minutes will generally suice to restore the little heat that has been lost. Therefore it will be seen that this method of making coke is continuous, While the heating of the ovens and the collection of gases arising from the coking coal is alternating.

To prevent explosions, one of the mostimportant features of this method of making coke consists in the process of iirst clearing the stacks and superheaters of combustible gases by driving the same out with steam, to be followed in the same direction With atmospheric air, the steam to be shut off when the air reaches such a point in the superheater or oven that it will safely ignite the gas When coming in contact with the same. In the meantime should any gases pass into the second superheater at the opposite side of the ovens unconsumed before air is admitted for their consumption the same Will pass harmlessly out of the stack, for the reason that the last use made of that superheater was for conveying highly-heated steam to the ovens, and therefore contains nothing but steam until gases take its place.

When it is desired to manufacture coke from hydrocarbon oils or asphaltum instead of from coal, the same can be done in the apparatus herein described by admitting oils in limited quantities into any of the highlyheated ovens and bringing into contact with the vapors of the same the highly-heated steam from one of the steam-superheaters, which while passing through the flues and over the various succeeding ovens Will deposit along the ovens those heavier portions of the hydrocarbons contained in the materials used, and the gases Will be more thoroughly fixed by passing` the same through a second superheater or fixing-chamber. The gases resulting from this process While passing through the usual washers and scrubbers will deposit any surplus hydrocarbons or lampblack not converted into gas. These heavier products can from time to time be returned to the ovens and preferably on the surface of the highly-heated coke resulting from the use of heavy hydrocarbon oils or asphaltums, and when sufficient of the heavier portions of the materials have been converted into coke the same can be discharged from the ovens in the same manner as is done when coke is made from coal. Coke made from these materials Will contain little or no ash and is of superior value as fuel and can also be pulverized and used in the manufacture of electric and similar carbons.

. An additional reason for having a second pile of open iron-Work above the Water-spraying device in the steam-generator, as above described, is to more thoroughly absorb the heat contained in the burned and Waste gases While escaping through the stack and enable the air of combustion forced or drawn by natural draft through valved openings to become considerably heated on its Way to the cokeovens, as Well as to prevent cooling the lower metal bars much, if any, below the steam-generating point. This form of coke-oven (one or more) can be operated successfully on nat- IOO ural draft by providing openings (not shown) at convenient points for admitting air to burnthe gases arising from the coal in the ovens, and when desired by closing the draft-openings the other portion of the gas not needed for keeping up the heat maybe recovered by the use of the ordinary well-known gas-exhauster, or thegas may beforced by its own pressure through the usual washers, scrubbers, and puritiers, as in the ordinary retort gas system and also as in my water-gas gen-` erator patentedin 1875, before alluded to. It will be seen that by my arrangement of cokeovens and their connecting-lines, as herein shown and described, I am enabled to produce an enormous reservoir of incandescent coals under one roof composed of one or more arches of brickwork, and by partition-walls having:

openings in each near the arches any portion of the reservoir of coal or the resulting coke can be drawn from said oven without in any Way aecting the balance of the coals or checking the coking process.

Where one large reservoir of coal is used evolved from the coal in the adjoining ovens or compartments of the general coal-reservoir and cause the same to burn, so as to keep up the heat. The amount of air thus drawn into the coal-reservoir can be easily regulated by a Vdamper in the open stack.

In some instances instead of opening both ends of the ovens and discharging the coke by means of a ram I open but one door and haul the coke out by means of an iron drag. Over each opening or flue communicating with all the ovens and the brick superheaters I provide an air-inlet, preferably in the form of a slot 24:, covering the entire Width of the iiue, in order to bring the air into more direct contact with the gases and in regulated-quantities whenever it is desired to burn the same. This method not only secures more perfect combustion, but also from the high heat thus obtained the 'flames will arise as they emerge from the lues and highly heat the arches and .pass 0E without much,ifany,of the free oxygen coming in contact with the coking coals in the ovens below. Also in consequence of each flue opening against solid Wall 2l on the opposite side of the oven the zigzag motion of the llames serves more highly to heat the surfaces of the brickwork in each oven thus treated.

Were it not for the convenience of discharging the coke and the desirability of always having coal in the coking-hearths of the ovens in various stages of coking the partition-Walls forming a series of ovens would not be needed, and in small works one oven may be used to advantage, especially when oil is used for carbureting the resulting gas, said single oven having on each side open-brickvvork superheaters and, when found desirable, steamgenerators, all connected with ilues arranged as above described. Thebest results, however, are obtained when `the coal-reservoir is divided up by brick walls into a series of ovens `parallel with each other and all having connecting-dues, as above set forth.

A series of ovens can be operated with fair results without the checker-Work superheatersv arranged on each side when said ovens are placed parallel with each other and connected with fines, as herein described, with means for admitting air and burning gases arising from` the coals and when desired' alternating the direction of the air and discharging coke in sections, as by the more cornplete apparatus above described.

In place of the checker-work brick superheaters on each side ofthe ovens one flue or a series of ilues for absorbing the heat from the outgoing gases or other known means maybe employed for saving and returning the waste heat to the coke-ovens but I prefer the arrangement as described, and shown in the drawings.

When I desire to create a more neutral iame than can be obtained in burning the gases arising from the coking coals lto prevent free oxygen from coming in contact vwith the coke and consuming the same, I introduce in the form of spray or otherwise in regulated quantities either a small amount of tar or hydrocarbon oils preferably over the ovenin which the air irstenters.y

I claim as my invention- 1. The process herein described of effecting the coking of coal in an oven and the recovery of part of the gases evolved therefrom,

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said process consisting in heating the ovenby vburning therein gases evolved from the cok- `lng coal and alternately with such burning collecting gasesfrom the coking coal without lowering the temperature of the oven to an extent sufficient to prevent the coking process from being substantially continuous, substantially as described.

2. The process herein described of eecting the coking of coal in an oven, and the recovery of part of the gases evolved therefrom, said process consisting in admitting air over the top of the coking coal whereby the air is mixed with the evolved gases above the coal for heating or renewing the heat of the oven or ovens, then shutting off the air, and for a time collecting` the resulting gases from the coking coal Without the admission of air, substantially as described.

3. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously and progressively converting the charge into coke, and intermittently recovering gas from the charge while being' coked, which consists in alternately heating or renewingtheheatoftheovensand connectingfiues by the admission of atmospheric air, whereby, through the combustion of the mixture of air and evolved gases, to heat or reheat the ovens above the body of the coking charge, and then after shutting off the air so as to arrest such combustion, recovering the gases evolved from the coking charge due to the heat thus stored in the walls, iues and arches of the ovens.

4. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously and progressively converting the charge into coke and intermittently recovering gas from the charge While being coked, which consists in alternately ne-ating or renewing the heat of the ovens and connectingflues by the admission ot' atmospheric air whereby, through combustion of the mixture of air and evolved gases, to heat or reheat the ovens above the body of coking coal, and then shutting oif the air so as to arrest such combustion, and admitting steam into and through the ovens above the body of coking coal, and recovering the gases produced from the coking coal and the decomposing steam, substantially as described.

5. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously and progressively converting the chargeinto coke and intermittently recov-A ering gas from the charge While being coked, which consists in alternately raising the temperature of the oven-arches to above the temperature required for coking, and then introducing steam at or above its decomposable temperature into the upper parts of the ovens and above the body of the charge with reference to effecting the recombination of the elements of the steam and the otherwise waste gas evolved in coking into a fixed recoverable gas, substantially as described.

6. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously and progressively converting a plurality of connected oven charges into coke, and intermittently recovering gas from the charges while being coked, which consists in alternately heating or renewing the heat of the ovens and dues by the admission of atmospheric air at successive points along the succession ot' ovens and ues, thereby,

through combustionof the mixture of air and` evolved gases, heating or reheating the ovens above the body of coking coal, and then after shutting off the air so as to arrest such combustion, recovering the gases evolved from the coking coals due to the heat thus stored in the walls, iiues and arches of the oven.

7. As a step in the manufacture of coke, the method of heating or maintaining the heat of any one or more of a plurality of connected ovens later than the first, which consists in subjecting the united gaseous products of the particular oven and the gaseous products of the previous oven or ovens to the oxidizing action of air in suitable quantity for that purpose.

8. The process herein described of coking coals, said process consisting in charging the coals to be coked in a series of communicating chambers, admitting air to the first chamber of the series, whereby to raise the chamber to a high temperature by the combustion of the mixture of air and the gases evolved from the coal, carrying the gases through the remaining chambers and adding to these gases the gases evolved from the coke in the several chambers and adding at intervals air to aid in the combustion of the gases and to heat the several chambers to the proper coking temperature, substantially as described.

9. The process of manufacturing coke and gas, the said process consisting in passing a current of heated air over the coking coal, heating a regenerating-furnace by igniting the mixture of air and gas evolved from the coke, and after the regenerator has reached a certain temperature passing steam through the heated regenerating-chamber and over the coking coal, and adding an oil to Athe steam and gas from the coal, substantially as described.

l0. The process herein described of producing coke and gas, said process consisting in rst passing a current of air over a body of coking coal until a certain degree of heat is reached, then passing steam over the coking coal, substantially as described.

11. In the process of manufacturing coke, the method of 11e-ating or renewing the heat of the oven by first passing air through a regenerator previously heated and then passing the heated air across the top of the coking coal in an oven, substantially as described.

12. The process of manufacturing coke, said process consisting in first passing atmospheric air over heated brickWork, then admitting the same over the top of coal in a coke-oven, then burning the resulting gases arising from the coal in the process of coking by the admission of atmospheric air in such manner as to heat a second mass of brick- Work contained in a superheater, substantially as described.

13. rPhe process of producing coke and gas, said process consisting in passing steam over highly-heated cokin g coals in a coke-oven, admitting hydrocarbon oil in such a manner that the vapors arising therefrom will mix With the gases resulting from the introduction of steam in such proportions as may be desired, substantially as described.

14. The process of manufacturing coke and gas, said process consisting in passing steam over highly-heated coals in a coke-oven, admitting hydrocarbon oil in such manner that the vapors arising therefrom will mix with the gases resulting from the introduction of the steam in such proportions as may be desired, then for the better fixing and making more permanent this mixture of gases, passing the same over highly-heated brickwork, substantially as described..

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15. The process herein described of manufacturing coke and gas, said process consisting in passing a current of air through a regenerator previously heated, then passing the heated air over a body of coking coal, the air and the gases from the coal being united with an additionalsupply of air and passed through a second regenerating-furnace to heat the same, substantially as described.

16. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method of utilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking, which consists in first passing a current of air over a body of coking coal until a certain degree of heat is reached, and then passing steam and oil over the coal, substantially'as described.

17. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method of utilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking,

which consists in heating air, passing thel heated air over the coking coal, burning the mixture above the coal, heating a fixingchamber bythe Waste products of combustion, then passing steam over the coking coals, said steam combiningr with the evolved gases from the coking coal, and passing the said mixture through the preheated fixing-chamber and collecting the resulting fixed gas.

18. In the process of making coke and, as a erating steam by the admission of water into the air-heater, superheating said steam, and then passing the said superheated steam over the coking coals whereby the steam is mixed with the evolved gases from the coking coal, passing the said gases through the previouslyheated fixing-chamber and collecting the resulting fixed gas, substantially as described.

19. In the process of making coke, and, as a part thereof, the method of utilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking, Which consists in heating air, passing the heated air over the coking coal, mixing the said air with the gases evolved from the coking coal, adding additional air to the products of combustin as they pass from over the coking coal, heatinga chamber by the waste products of combustion, cutting off the air, admitting steam to the air-heater, superheating said steam,passing the superheated steam over the coking coals Where it combines with the resulting gases, passing the mixture of steam and gases through the heated chamber, and collecting the resulting gases, substantially asdescribed.

20. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method of utilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking, which consists in heating air, passing the heated air over the coking coals, burning the mixture above the coking coals, adding additional air to the products of combustion as they pass from over the coking coals, heating a chamber by the waste'products of combustion, cutting off the air, generating steam, super-heating saidV steam, passing the superheated steam over the coking coal, so that the steam will combine with the evolved gases from the coal, adding a hydrocarbon to the mixture, passing the said mixture through the previously-heated chamber, and collecting the resulting gases, substantially as described.

21. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method of utilizing the othervvise Waste gases evolved during coking, which consists in first heatingan arch or roof of a coke-oven directly over the coals to be coked, and afterward shutting off the blast or drafts of air used in heating said oven, then conveying the gases resulting from the heats thus obtained to any suitable Washer, scrubber or purifier, in the manner substantially as described.

22. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof the method of utilizing the otherwise waste gases evolved d nring eokin g, which consists in first heating an arch or roof of a coke-oven directly over the coals to be coked, and afterward shutting off the blast or drafts of air used in heating said oven, then admitting steam in limited quantities for the purpose of adding hydrogen and carbonic oxid, then conveying the gases resulting from the heats thus obtained to any suitable Washer, scrubber or purifier, in the manner substantially as described.

23. In the process of making coke and asa part thereof the method of utilizing the otherwise waste gases evolved during coking, which consists in iirst heating an arch or roof of a coke-oven directly over the coals to be coked, and afterward shutting off the blast or drafts of air used in heating said oven, then admitting hydrocarbon oil, or other carbonaceous substances in limited quantities, for the purpose of enriching and increasing the volume and candle-power of said gases, in the manner substantially as described.

24. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof the method of utilizing the other- Wise Waste gases evolved during coking, which consists in first heating an arch or roof of a coke-oven directly over the coals to be coked, and afterward shutting olf the blast or drafts of air used in heating said oven, then admitting hydrocarbon oil, or other carbonaceous substances in limited quantities for the purpose of enriching and increasing the volume and candle-power of said gases generated from the coal in said coke-oven, in the manner substantially as described.

25. The process of simultaneously charging coal into an internally-heated cokeoven, Without cooling the succeeding oven or brick- Work, which consists in opening a draft-stack IOO TIO

in such a manner as to draw atmosphere into a coking-oven through an open door, while coke is being discharged, and through a charging-pole, one or more, while coal is being charged into said ovens, in sufficient volume to burn the gases arising from said charge of coal, and the succeeding ovens, and the brickwork, for the purpose of keeping up the heat in'said ovens and brickwork, substantially as described.

26. The process of protecting the coke from any undue amount of oxygen in one or more coke-ovens, which consists in spraying or otherwise admitting in limited quantities, hydrocarbon oils, tar, asphaltum, or other suitable volatile substances over the surface of the coking coals in said ovens, substantially1 as described.

27. The process of heating a series of cokeovens, which consists in successi vely burning the gases arising from the coking coals, from one or more coke-ovens, by the admixture of atmospheric air therewith, then, after the gases resulting from such combustion have been reconverted into carbon monoxid by coming in contact with additional highlyheated carbon or mixed with other combustible gases arising from the coking coals contained in another oven, one or more, again causing atmospheric air to mingle with these gases in sufficient quantities to burn the same over another oven, one or more, in the manner substantially as described.

28. In the process of manufacturing coke and gas, said process consisting in alternately passing air and steam through regenerators and a coking-oven, reversing the direction of the air and steam and clearing any combustible gases from the apparatus after the introduction of steam and prior to the reverse introduction of air,substantial1y as described.

29. As a step in the process of manufacturing coke and gas, the method of preventing explosions, which consists in rst clearing any combustible gases from the steam-generators, ues and passages by the passage of a current of steam therethrough preliminary to supplying air to the ovens for renewing the heat of the system, the steam to clear the furnace being passed into the furnace at the same end lat which the air is afterward admitted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof vI have signed my .name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THADDEUS S. C. LOWE.

Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, v H. HAYES AIKENS.

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