Processing of solid fuel for gas production

Claim 1

IN SOLID FUEL BED OPERATION FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A GASEOUS STREAM COMPRISING CARBON MONOXIDE THE METHOD WHICH COMPRISES MAINTAINING A SOLD FLUEL, CONTAINING COMBUSTIBLE CARBON WITH OTHER NON-COMBUSTIBLE INGREDIENTS IN THE FORM OF A BED HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES CONNECTED BY GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING SURFACES WHILE REPLENISHING THE BED BY ADDITION OF FUEL TO ITS TOP SURFACE, FEEDING COMBUSTION-SUSTAINING GAS TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID FUEL BED AS ITDESCENDS, FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BED TO DRIVE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE GASEOUS REACTION PRODUCTS OUT OF THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SIDE BED MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID BED AT SIDE OFF-GAS SURFACE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE NON-COMBUSTIBLE SLAG AND ASH INGREDIENTS IN SAID BED TO LIQUEFY SAID INGREDIENTS AND COLLECTING SAID LIQUEFIED INGREDIENTS AS THEY RUN IN LIQUID FROM UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY DOWN AND OUT OF SAID BED, IN A LIQUID POOL MAINTAINED AT A TEMPEATURE ABOVE SAID MELTING POINT, AND TAPPING SAID LIQUID POOL TO REMOVE SAID NON-COMBUSTIBLE INGREDIENTS FROM SAID POOL IN LIQUID FORM.