IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR AGGLOMERATING COAL, PEAT, WOOD, CHARCOAL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Billan, of Bordeaux, France, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR AGGLOMERATING COAL, PEAT, WOOD,
CHARCOAL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Şealed the 21st February 1879, and dated the 29th August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Billan at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th August 1878.
HENRI BILLAN, of Bordeaux, France. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
AGGLOMERATING COAL, PEAT, WOOD, CHARCOAL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
16
This machine is composed of three, four, or more wheels of any suitable diameter,
all turning towards a common centre.
Each wheel is provided on its circumference with a certain number of cavities
dependent upon the diameter of the wheels, or of the size or thickness of the
cavities; they may be of the size of a quarter of a sphere, so that the convergence
of the four wheels at the centre of the machine forms a complete ball of a given
diameter. By reason of this arrangement of wheels the ball comes out easily,
which has hitherto been difficult, and which has been for such a long time sought
to be obtained.
Parallel shafts are put in motion by transverse shafts and bevel (conical) gearing;
a wheel is placed on each of these shafts. The driving shaft carries a toothed and
a fly wheel; the former gears with a larger wheel on a countershaft, and the driving
shaft also carries fast-and-loose pulleys.. The countershaft carries a pinion which
drives the aforesaid wheel bevel gearing, and puts in motion all the apparatus.
All the shafts are supported in plummer blocks resting on supports of the fraine.
The material to be compressed is fed to the machine by a hopper. The base of
the hopper is made of cast iron with cheeks which fit exactly on the wheels in
order that the material to be pressed shall pass into the centre of the apparatus to go
down below.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent_filed by
the said Henri Billan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th February
1879.
HENRI BILLAN, of Bordeaux, France.
AGGLOMERATING COAL, PEAT, WOOD, CHARCOAL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.”
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
This Invention relates to the manufacture of agglomerates in a spherical shape,
and to a machine used for this purpose, and represented in the accompanying
Drawing, which shows a longitudinal side elevation of the same.
This machine consists of four wheels E arranged crosswise; and provided on their
external circumference with thirty cavities, each of the capacity of a quarter sphere
having a diameter of about 75 millimeters. These four wheels turn all in the same
direction, that is to say, towards their points of contact forming the centre of the
machine or of the cross. At these points of contact the sphere is complete. In
fact, if the hopper T is filled with coal dross mixed with coal tar, or preferably
with mineral pitch, each of the cavities of the wheels E takes a quarter of this
material. In the centre of the machine these four quarters are pressed and united,
and form the complete sphere of 75 millimeters, falling beneath in the centre of the
machine on an incline provided for this purpose to roll automatically on to the
required point.
On the wheels E on each side are keyed bevil wheels K gearing into each other,
and imparting, to each other the motion in the direction above indicated by means
of the cog wheels R, R', and the strap passing over the pulley P receiving itself
motion from a steam engine of four or five horses' power.
The shafts of the wheels are supported by the brackets B, and these brackets are
sustained by cast frames D.
The machine is supported by a strong wooden grate M.
A fly wheel V is designed to regulate the movement.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
. carrying it into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details of the machine as above specified, as these may obviously be
modified without departing from the principle upon which it is based; but what I
: claim and desire to secure by the said Royal Letters Patent is the manufacture of
agglomerates in a spherical shape, and a machine intended for this purpose consisting
of four wheels arranged crosswise, and provided on their external circumference
with cavities which, when four of the same come into contact, will form a spherical
, cavity in which the coal dross will be pressed and united, substantially as above
specified, and represented in the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Billan, have set hereto my hand and
seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
HENRI BILLAN. (L.S.)