New-York tribune., 1909-05-21
COL. ASTOR INVENTOR
H1U GiUe to Public Method for Max
ing Practical Use of Peat.

Colonel John Jacob Astor. who has appeared
frequently on the Patent Office records as an in
vertor Of practical devices has applied for a
patent for an invention which scientists and engi-
neers expect VIII prove a means for successfully
utilizing the vast deposits of peat found in the
United States and other parts Of the world Peat
has been used with fair success fuel, but be
cause Of the amount Of water contained in il a
long season OF drying is necessary before IT can
be burned
Peat constitutes a fairly seTyiceable fertilizer.
bit because OF the large amount of tannin. or
ganic acids iron salts and gases which it contains
il is necessary TO cure it by long exposure 10 The
atmosphere before IL be used. The tannin
and organic acids tend to retard rather than sup
pert vegetation
Efforts 10 manufacture producer gas from peat
nave been unsuccessful III this country. although.
because fl contains water and solid portions which
are almost entirely tsrbonaceous, il is better
adapted TO the manufacture Of producer gas in
some respects than is bituminous coal Ordinary
peat is OF a very porous texture and great deal
of gas is contained in its hbres. 1t has such poor
heat conducting qualities that, when heated in a
producer. a portion Of the peat will he completely
burned without heating other portions to any ma
terial extent.
The vibratory disin;egrator which has been in
vented by Colonel will. il is believed, solve
tie problem of the commercial manufacture OF
producer gas from peat. The disintegrator utilzes
the expansive force Of the air and gases within
the porous peat TO disrupt and disintegrate the
latter. and permit L. 10 be anu
To-rnly heated From the fact that farmers can
obtain peat in many sections OF the country for
the mere trouble Of digging IL. IL is evident tha1
producer gas can be manufactured al very low
ccst IL the invention is practical Farmers mlgnt
then be able TO drive their machinery by gas en-
sines and 10 heat and illuminate their homes with
gas A valuable fertilizer for Impoverished SOIL
could also be obtained from the peat
The z-bratory disinteErator will he given a prac-
.ical test in a peat-fuel producer-gas plant when
Colonel Astor is erecting al his country place
AZ Rhineclir on the Hudson The plant VIII run a
s,one crusber and is to of $50 horsepower
The patent application is now pending. ana II
= is allowed Colonel Astor intends 10 present II
20 the public in the hope that 1t may prove oi
general use He did the same thing with MS m
vention of an efficient marine turbine his o'heI
inventions include a bicycle brake and phen-
matte road improver-
In the peat invention the gas generated may ne
s,nrlied TO ar ordinary internal combustion engine.
the engine nuf1er being placed inside the gas
,rospcer The sides Of the muffler are thin 50 as
n ,,ern,it Them to he expanded and contracted
with variations In the pressure Wlthlh ''e inUi
oar one end Is connected with the exhaust PIPE
The gas escaping from the engine cNhhdeI ai1ei
Zach explosion dstends the mufler and escaping
fror, the rn,ffer draws in the latter : Sloes- -
3 res,,t of these vibrations the pores IN me peat
- 5isrupred and the peat is disinfegrateo-
TEe inventor recommends a slow speed engine 80
49, ,bA successive charges OF exhaust gas VIII
bs,,s slime 10 rrodGce the desired expansion IN e
-nvfaer The engine which he will use IN ms test
will be air cooled