IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT- MENT OR MANUFACTURE OF PEAT AND OTHER SUBSTANCES TO BE USED AS FUEL
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Egleson Anderson Gwynne, of Essex
Wharf, Essex Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT-
MENT OR MANUFACTURE OF PEAT AND OTHER SUBSTANCES TO BE USED
AS FUEL."
Sealed the 8th September 1853, and dated the 6th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Egleson
Anderson Gwynne at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 6th May 1853.
I, JAMES EGLESON ANDERSON GWYNNE, of Essex Wharf, Essex
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OR MANUFACTURE OF PEAT AND OTHER SUBSTANCES TO BE
USED AS FUEL" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the drying and compressing of peat or
other fuel, and consists in drying the material by passing it through

page_text: a series of inclined cylinders placed one above another, these cylinders
being heated by any convenient arrangement.
The material to be dried is entered into the top cylinder of the
series, and falls from one to another until it emerges from the last
of the series completely dried.
The interior of the drying, cylinders, which are caused to rotate,
are fitted with ribs at convenient intervals, so as to turn over &
agitate the material as it passes through the several cylinders.
The fuel is compressed by one or more rams actuated by eccentrics,
and working vertically over a horizontal revolving table, heated by any
suitable arrangement, and furnished with holes or apertures to receive
the peat or other fuel, in which holes it is compressed by descending
Another series of rams, also actuated by eccentrics, serve to
expel the compressed material from. the table as it is brought under
them.
rams.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Egleson Anderson Gwynne in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 5th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES EGLESON ANDERSON GWYNNE, of Essex Wharf, Essex Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Egleson Anderson Gwynne,
Her special license that I, the said James Egleson Anderson Gwynne,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Egleson Anderson Gwryne, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no.others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the

page_text: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OR MANUFACTURE OF PEAT AND OTHER SUBSTANCES TO BE USED AS FUEL,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Egleson
Anderson Gwynne, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Egleson Anderson
Gwynne, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-.
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates,-
First, to an improved apparatus for effecting the drying of the newly
cut peat or other inaterial, and the mixture or treatment of such, to be
used as fuel.
.
"
Secondly, to an improved construction or arrangement of mechanism
for compressing peat or other fuel.
The first part of my Invention, which relates to the drying of peat or
other material, consists in passing it through a series of inclined cylinders
or hollow rollers placed one above another; such cylinders being heated
by the direct action of a furnace, or by any other convenient means. Or,
in place of inclining the cylinders, their axes may be kept horizontal by
employing conical cylinders, but I prefer the arrangement first described.
Motion is given to the centre cylinders, which is transmitted throughout
the series by spur wheels or other mechanical arrangements. The ma-
terial to be dried is conveyed by an endless bucket chain. to the top
cylinder of the series, and falls from one to another until it emerges from
the last completely dried. The interior of the drying cylinders are,
fitted with longitudinal ribs, at convenient distances, so as to turn over
and agitate the material as it passes through the several cylinders..

page_text: In place of ribs, screw blades may be used, fitted to the interior of such
cylinders, to force down the material under treatment.
The second part of my Invention consists in compressing the dried
peat alone, or in combination with oxides or ores of metals, small coal,
cannel, anthracite, or coke, argillacious bitumens, or with the bright
yellow loam that is saturated with retinasphaltum, found in conjunction
with the Bovey coal, for fuel, by one or more rams actuated by eccen-
trics, and working vertically over a horizontal revolving table, heated
by any suitable arrangement, and furnished with holes or apertures to
receive the peat or other fuel, in which holes it is compressed by
descending rams. Another series of rams, also actuated by eccentries,
serves to expel the compressed material from the table as it is brought
under them. This material may be combined with bituminous matter,
Venice turpentine, coal tar, solution of glue, linseed oil, gums, flour,
dough, or other materials, giving it tenuity, and rendering it capable of
being formed into ornamental articles, such as picture frames, mould-
ings, embossed surfaces, or images, statuettes, or toys, which may
afterwards be used as fuel. I purpose producing embossed surfaces
by suitably c s or plates attached to descending rams, which may
be heated or not, as may be required. For certain articles two or more
dies may be employed, converging upon the article to be pressed or
moulded.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1, of my Drawings represents a vertical section of
my drying apparatus. Figure 2, is a section at right angles to Fig. 1,
showing the drying cylinders in end elevation. Figure 3, is a horizontal
section of the apparatus; and Figures 4, and 5, are detached views of
two of the drying cylinders drawn on a larger scale, and shewn in longi-
tudinal and transverse section. The peat or other material to be treated
is fed into the mill A, where it is prepared for the subsequent operation.
From thence it passes by the conductor B, to the recess or cavity C,
whence it is conveyed by the bucket chains D, passing round the carrier
wheels E, E, to the top pair of the series of cylinders F, F. These
cylinders are driven by the driving pulleys at G, and the rotatory
movement is transmitted throughout the series by the spur wheels H, H,
keyed on to the ends of the cylinder axes. A furnace I, or other

page_text: suitable heating medium, gives the necessary heat to the cylinders for
effecting the drying of the material. The interior of these cylinders
are fitted with ribs or screw blades, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, for the
purpose of agitating, mixing, and propelling the material under treat-
ment. As the cylinders revolve, the material travels along them and
falls from one to another until it arrives at the conductors J, J, through
which it passes into the chamber K, thoroughly dried. It may now be
ground, if desired, after which it will be ready for the compressing
machine herein-after described.
I shall now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention,
which relates to the compressing of peat or other materials to be om-
ployed as fuel. Figure 1, on Sheet 2, of my Drawings represents a front
elevation of my improved compressing machine. Figure 2, is a corre-
sponding side elevation of the same. Figure 3, is a plan of the moulding
table with the upper mechanism removed; and Figure 4, is a plan of the
underside of the same shewing the arrangement for actuating the table.
The main driving shaft A, is carried in bearings on the vertical standards
B, B, and has keyed on to it the driving pulley C, and fly wheel D.
This shaft carries also two spur pinions E, E, which give motion to
the spur wheels E, F, fast on the ends of the short shafts G, G. A
strong cast iron standard H, bolted to the beams I, I, carries the shafts
G, in the bearings J, J. Each of these shafts is fitted with an eccentric K,
which is connected with the compressing plungers L, L, by the tightening
brasses M, M. The moulding table N, is actuated by a spring catch,
which consists of a lever O, (Figure 4,) working loose on the tubular
centre P, underneath the table. A spring catch Q, fitted with a pro-
jecting pin R, is fixed to this lever by a screw at S. The pin R,
projects through the lever into the inclined grooves T, formed in the
raised portion of the table. One edge of the lever O, is inclined at U,
for the purpose of raising the end of the spring detent V, which is
secured at its extremity W, to the standard H. This spring is fitted
with a stud pin X, which is pressed into one of the holes Y, formed in
the table; by this means it is held steady during the compression of
the peat which is effected in the rectangular openings Z; the outer
end of the lever O, is attached to the connecting rod a, which is jointed,

page_text: at its opposite extremity to the vertical lever arm b. This lever works on
a fixed centre c, and is guided by the forked or slotted guide d, bolted
to. one of the beams i. The necessary vibrating motion is trans-
mitted to this lever by the connecting rod e, which is attached at one
end to the free extremity of the lever arm b, and at the other end it is
connected with the crank f, fitted on the end of one of the short shafts
G'; a steam pipe g, communicates with the interior of the moulding
table for the purpose of heating the same. To effect this the table is
cast hollow, with a plate or cover bolted over it, as shewn in Figure 3,
of the Drawings, the waste steam passing off by the pipe h. The com-
pressing rams L, work in the fixed guides i, which are bolted to the
standard H; they carry each a stud pin j, which passes through the
lever k, working on the fixed centre l, on the side of the large standard.
This lever is fitted at its free end with a discharging plunger m, which
works vertically in the guides n, also carried by the standard H. A
portion of the standard H, is made to project laterally beneath the
table N, so as to form a bottom to the compressing apertures which
may happen to be beneath the feeding hoppers O, thereby enabling
such aperture to be filled with the material to be compressed, and
retaining it in its chamber or aperture until it is brought beneath the
compressing plunger. I propose employing a cylinder fitted with a
piston, for the purpose of propelling a certain amount of pitch upon the
dust as it passes under it on its way to the press. Or the pitch may be
mixed with the material in the form of dust or in various ways, according
to circumstances. When this machine is put in operation the material
to be pressed is fed into the hoppers 0, 0, and an intermittent rotatory
motion is communicated to the table by the lever o, and connecting
rod a, as above described. On moving the rod a, in the direction of the
arrow, as shewn at Figure 4, the knife edge U, of the lever O, is brought
underneath the end of the fixed spring V, thereby raising the stud pin X,
out of the series of holes Y. The same movement of the lever slides
the pin R, up the inclined groove or slot T, until it arrives at the com-
mencement of the next one of the series, into which it is pressed by the
spring Q. By this time the pin X, is completely free from its aperture Y,
and the return or back stroke of the lever propels the table round until

page_text: the pin X, drops into the next succeeding hole Y. It will be obvious,
on reference to the Drawings, that each double stroke of the lever O,
will bring one of the moulding apertures Z, beneath each plunger.
When the required compression has been made by the plungers L, L,
the table is moved forward one aperture, thereby bringing another
chamber with a fresh supply of material to be pressed beneath the
plungers. At the same time that fresh apertures are brought beneath
the compressing plungers the apertures containing the compressed cake
are brought beneath the expelling plungers m, m, which descend
simultaneously with the compressers, and force the compressed material
out of the aperture on to an endless travelling band or other convenient
receiver. In this way the operation is carried on continuously without
any interruption so long as the hoppers o, o, are kept supplied with
material.
In place of casting the moulding table hollow for the reception of
steam I propose casting within it a series of radiating wrought iron
tubes, which are all connected with the centre or main hollow shaft
forming the fixed centre of the table.
Figure 1, on Sheet 3, of my Drawings represents a side elevation of
another modification of my improved compressing mechanism. Figure 2,
is a corresponding horizontal section of the same, with a great portion
of the mechanism removed for the purpose of shewing more clearly the
compressing or moulding tables, one of which is also removed to shew
the compressing table beneath. Figure 3, represents a side view of one
of the main standards; and Figs. 4, and 5, are details of the plungers.
A, is the bed plate of the machine, to which are bolted the three cast
iron standards B, B, B. Each of these standards is fitted with a bearing
C, through which is passed the main actuating shaft D. The shaft is
fitted with four eccentrics E, shown more clearly at Figs 4, and 5, which
actuate the vertical plungers F, working in the fixed guides G, bolted
to the sides of the standards. The compressing or moulding tables H, H,
are each formed with four cavities or apertures I, I, I, I, and
revolve round on the plates H', the fixed centres J, J. The plates H',
have only one perforation H", for the purpose of allowing the com-
pressed cake to-be- expelled on to a travelling band beneath. These
centres consist of hollow or tubular shafts through which a jet of steam

page_text: or other heating medium is conveyed to the interior of the tables,
which are cast hollow for that purpose. A portion of the tables is
shewn broken away in Figures 4, and 5, which represent respectively a
compressing and discharging plunger. The tables II, are actuated by
the slotted levers K, and rod L, which works in the fixed guides M,
bolted to the main standards. Motion is given to this rod (which is
connected by stud pins N, to both levers, although one only is shewn in
the Drawing) by the spiral grooved cam or pulley O, keyed on the end
of the main shaft. This can actuates the vertical lever arm P, which
works on a fixed centre at Q. The lower end of this lever is connected
by a short link piece R, to the end of the rod L. The tables arc
held firm and steady by spring detents S, attached to the main standards.
These detents take into grooves or slots T, formed in the circumference
of the tables. The free end of the levers K, is fitted with a spring
catch U, which drops into an inclined groove formed on the top of the
table. When the levers K, are drawn in the direction of the arrow
they bring the tables round with them a quarter of a revolution. They
are then moved back again for another stroke, and the tables are in the
meantime held steady by the detents S. When the outer ends of the
levers arrive at the detents before mentioned the inclined portions V,
of the levers push back the detents and release the tables; at the same
time the spring catches U, drop into the deep end of the inclined
grooves on the surface of the tables, which are then moved a quarter
round at the next stroke of the levers K. The peat or other material
to be compressed is fed in at I, by a hopper, as before described with
reference to Sheet 2, of my Drawings. It is then passed round to I,
where it is compressed and is subsequently expelled by the expelling
plunger at I". As fast as the cakes are expelled they fall on endless
travelling bands which are carried by the pulleys W. These pulleys
are actuated by a band passing round the large grooved pulley X, on
the main shaft, and round the small grooved pulley Y, on the end of
the shaft Z, carrying one set of carrier rollers. The main shaft of this
machine may be either driven direct or by suitable gearing, as found
most desirable; but as this does not form a part of my Invention I have
not deemed it necessary to delineate the means for obtaining the required
motion in my Drawings...

page_text: It will be obvious to the practical man that by employing dies of
various devices ornaments may be formed of peat alone, or combined
with other materials, as herein-before described, such articles being
afterwards suitable for fuel, if required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of apparatus herein-
before described for effecting the treating of peat and other materials
to be used as fuel:
Second, the general arrangement and construction of mechanism
herein-before described for compressing peat or other fuel:
Third, the application and use of inclined cylinders fitted internally
with ribs or spiral blades for the purpose herein-before described:
Fourth, the application and use of conical cylinders fitted internally
with ribs or spiral blades for the purpose herein-before described:
Fifth, the application and use of heated revolving tables formed with
a series of apertures in them, in conjunction with the descending rams,
also heated, for the compressing of peat or other fuel, as described:
Sixth, the arrangement and construction of mechanism or modifica-
tions thereof for effecting the moulding or compressing of peat or other
fuel into various ornamental or useful articles, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Egleson Anderson Gwynne,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
JAMES E. ANDERSON GWYNNE. (L.S.)