Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Artificial or Patent Fuel and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Artificial or
Patent Fuel and Apparatus therefor.
We, THE PATENT AGGLOMENT FUEL SYNDICATE, LIMITED, of 26, Wind Street,
Swansea, and HERBERT CHARLES BATH FORESTER, Mechanical Engineer, of
Penybryn, Sketty, near Swansea, Glamorgan, and JOHN ARTHUR ASH YEO, of
Trinity College, Cambridge, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in or relating to the manu-
facture of artificial or patent fuel and apparatus therefor and relates more
particularly to pressing the fuel and further relates to cutting same up (into
blocks) as same emerges from the press, and apparatus therefor.
In patent fuel presses of the type of the well-known "Bourrier" fuel press
or similar fuel presses it has been found that at the point where the ram or
plunger has forced each charge of fuel against the already compressed fuel in
the press there is a tendency of the fuel to divide or not to adhere completely
at each such point. Now it is one of the objects (inter alia) of the present inven-
tion to press the fuel (whether the aforesaid type of press be used or any other
suitable press to which this invention is applicable) in such a manner and by
such means that the aforesaid tendency is obviated and although the fuel may
be compressed by the operation of a ram or plunger yet the core or solid length
of fuel emerging from the press will according to the present invention be
practically equally cohesive or adhered at all points of its length and same can
therefore be divided into blocks of suitable size and of practically equal solidity
and cohesiveness or adhesiveness.
The cutting up or dividing of the artificial fuel into blocks as it emerges
from the mouth of the press may be effected by the improved means for cutting
same into blocks as hereinafter described or in any other suitable manner and
by any other suitable means; while on the other hand said improved means
for cutting fuel into blocks as it emerges from the press may be employed in
connection with any suitable pressing apparatus for pressing artificial fuel of
any suitable character either in the aforesaid improved manner or in any other
usual or suitable manner.
PRESSING APPARATUS OR MOULD AND RAM OR PLUNGER.
The artificial or patent fuel material to be pressed is fed into the chamber
in which is reciprocated the ram or plunger (which usually fits said chamber
accurately this latter being advantageously of oblong form in cross section
with rounded corners) in the path of travel of said ram or plunger so that the
latter as it advances will compress said fuel material and force same along in
front thereof into a chamber of rather larger bore or size but advantageously
of the same shape this enlargement of said chamber or mould commencing
advantageously just beyond the point to which the end of said ram or plunger
reaches at the termination of its advance and the change from the smaller to

page_text: the ram
the larger bore or size may either be gradual or sharp (or if desired the end of
or plunger may pass into the said enlargement) the effect of this
enlargement being that the fuel material entering the press is first forced along
or compressed in the smaller part of the mould between the ram head and the
already compressed fuel in the mould and as said material is forced along the
mould by the advancing ram or plunger it is forced into the larger part of the
mould which latter is thus filled with tightly compressed fuel material and
the resulting core or length of compressed fuel issuing from said enlarged part
of the mould (which enlarged part of the mould may be of any suitable length)
has the aforesaid characteristics same appearing to be equally adhesive through-
out the whole length thereof.
In place of the above described enlargement a contraction of the bore of the
mould may be used at any suitable point if desired.
If desired the mould may be made in two parts advantageously in the form
of a trough and cover part or the whole of which latter is movable between
the sides of the trough and such movable cover or part of cover may be held
at the end over or nearest to the ram or plunger by a hinge or equivalent while
means may be provided to cause the other end to press down with more or less
force on the issuing fuel or to be lifted therefrom or any other suitable method
may be used to adjust the resistance which the fuel offers to the ram or plunger.
The mould whether of the form of a trough and cover or not may be con-
structed with a lining of any suitable material such lining being so arranged
that it may readily be removed if desired and replaced by another lining.
With the object of securing equal or more equal cohesion or adhesion in the
core or length of fuel produced a special form of ram or plunger may be used
either instead of or in conjunction with the above improved mould the face or
operating end of such ram or plunger being provided with one or more pro-
jecting tongues or with one or more recesses or both and the said tongues or
recesses may be cone-shaped or of any other suitable form. With the same
object a ram or plunger may be used of smaller section than the chamber in
which it works, or part or parts of said ram may be of smaller section in
stepped" form, and if necessary means may be employed to periodically close
the port through which the fuel mixture is fed into the chamber either by
causing such ram or plunger to slide in contact with that side of the chamber
in which the said port is situated or by other suitable means.
MEANS FOR CUTTING PRESSED FUEL INTO BLOCKS.
Another part of the present invention consists of apparatus for or relating
to cutting the compressed fuel as it issues from the fuel press into blocks or
pieces of any suitable length or size.
It has been found in attempting to cut fuel issuing from a fuel press by
means of a knife moving (sweeping) across the orifice that when the knife has
entered the fuel to a certain depth such knife appears to act as a wedge the
rest of the block of fuel being split or broken off and as a result the surface
at such fraction is rough and liable to produce "small" and dust when the
block is handled. With the primary objects of reducing the injury thus suffered
by the block and avoiding the necessity of giving the knife a long stroke two
knives are by this invention provided entering at or about the same time from
opposite sides of the fuel and meeting or nearly meeting in front of the outlet
by which means the broken surface or fracture is reduced and its position
removed from one side to the centre of the cut surface where it is much less
objectionable.
A further improvement relates to or has for its object the reduction of the
tendency which the knives have to crush the fuel by providing for the
compressed fuel protruding beyond the path of the knives a mould or
support which may advantageously be of the same or approximately the same
shape as the outlet of the pressing mould but of slightly larger dimensions

page_text: and may consist of a trough with a cover resting on the fuel such support
(which may be of any suitable length) is advantageously arranged as close as
possible to the outlet of the mould leaving only just sufficient room
clearance" to allow the aforesaid knives to operate between the support and
clearance" neces-
the mould outlet and with a view to reducing the room or
or
sary the said knives may be built up of a thin plate of steel or other suitable
material forming the cutter strengthened on one or both sides by a C-shaped
frame in such a way that only the thin plate has to pass between the mould
outlet and the said support.
The said support whether of the form of a trough and cover or not may be
constructed with a lining of any suitable material, such lining being so arranged
that it may readily be changed if desired.
The block having been cut off and resting in said support will be pushed out
of the latter by the core of compressed fuel as same is forced out of the press
or may be removed in any other desired manner.
The operation of the aforesaid knives may be effected by any suitable means
thus when applied to a press of the Bourrier type or the like or other suitable
press the knives may be mounted on a pair of rods caused to slide to and fro
by any suitable means for instance by connection with a pair of eccentrics
mounted opposite one another on a shaft revolving at the same speed as the
crank shaft operating the ram or plunger the eccentricity of the said eccentrics
being such that the travel of each rod is about double the distance to which each
knife is required to enter the fuel then by attaching one knife to one of these
rods and allowing it to slide freely on the other merely using it as a guide (or
allowing it to slide on a fixed or any other suitable guide) and attaching the
second knife to this latter rod so that this second knife may slide on the first-
mentioned red (or on any other suitable guide) a block of fuel will be cut after
each stroke of the ram or plunger and the advance of the fuel will not be
impeded provided that the cutting machinery is in the proper phase when the
advance takes place ie the knives must be furthest apart at the moment when
about half the time occupied by the fuel in its advance has elapsed. Blocks
of a length equal to twice thrice or more times the length of fuel ejected by a
single stroke of the ram or plunger may readily be obtained by throwing the
cutting machinery out of gear at a moment when the knives are clear of the
path of the fuel and allowing it to remain out of gear for one two or more
revolutions of the crank shaft giving motion to the ram or plunger and by the
provision of suitable mechanism such as a suitable clutch and operating gear
this throwing out of action and again into action may be made automatic.
as
If a press is used having two moulds by connecting the rams or plungers to
two cranks opposite one another on the same shaft or two shafts revolving at
the same speed and by further arranging for an additional pair of knives the
outermost of each pair being attached to one sliding rod and the innermost to
the other simple means are provided for extending the machinery so
to deal with each of the two cores of fuel and such machinery may be arranged
so that there may be a time (when the sliding rods are about in the middle of
their stroke) when all the knives are clear of the fuel and the cutting machinery
may be thrown out of gear for one or more revolutions as above described.
The provision of such an opportunity for throwing the four knives out of action
is facilitated by increasing the travel of the above-mentioned sliding rods.
An advantageous method of carrying out that part of the present invention
which relates to the cutting of the fuel having been described it will be seen
that this part of the invention may be utilised in a variety of ways for instance
the above knives operated in the way described or in any other suitable manner
and either with or without the support described might be used in conjunction
as to produce
with means for altering the stroke of the ram or plunger so
briquettes of greater or less length.
The present invention may be used in making artificial or patent fuel in the

page_text: manner and by the means set forth in Forester's Patents Nos. 682 and 6853
both of 1896.
Dated this 28th day of April 1899.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Artificial or
Patent Fuel and Apparatus therefor.
We, THE PATENT AGGLOMENT FUEL SYNDICATE, LIMITED, of 26, Wind Street,
Swansea, and HERBERT CHARLES BATH FORESTER, Mechanical Engineer, of
Penybryn, Sketty, near Swansea, Glamorgan, and JOHN ARTHUR ASH YEO, of
Trinity College, Cambridge, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in or relating to the manu-
facture of artificial or patent fuel and apparatus therefor and relates more
particularly to pressing the fuel and further relates to cutting same up (into
blocks) as same emerges from the press, and apparatus therefor.
In patent fuel presses of the type of the well-known "Bourrier" fuel press
or similar fuel presses it has been found that at the point where the ram or
plunger has forced each charge of fuel against the already compressed fuel in
the press there is a tendency of the fuel to divide or not to adhere completely
at each such point. Now it is one of the objects (inter alia) of the present inven-
tion to press the fuel (whether the aforesaid type of press be used or any other
suitable press to which this invention is applicable) in such a manner and by
such means that the aforesaid tendency is obviated and although the fuel may be
compressed by the operation of a ram or plunger yet the core or continuous length
of fuel emerging from the press will according to the present invention be
practically equally cohesive or adhered at all points of its length and same can
therefore be divided into equal blocks of suitable size and of practically equal
solidity and cohesiveness or adhesiveness.
The cutting up or dividing of the artificial fuel into blocks as it emerges
from the mouth of the press may be effected by the improved means for cutting
same into blocks as hereinafter described or in any other suitable manner and
by any other suitable means; while on the other hand said improved means
for cutting fuel into blocks as it emerges from the press may be employed in
connection with any suitable pressing apparatus for pressing artificial fuel of
any suitable character either in the aforesaid improved manner or in any other
usual or suitable manner.
PRESSING APPARATUS OR MOULD AND RAM OR PLUNGER.
The artificial or patent fuel material to be pressed is fed into the chamber
in which is reciprocated the ram or plunger (which usually fits said chamber
accurately this chamber being advantageously of rectangular form in cross
section with rounded corners) in the path of travel of said ram or plunger so
that the latter as it advances will compress said fuel material and force same along
in front thereof into a chamber of larger bore or size but advantageously of
the same shape this enlargement of said chamber or mould commencing advan-
tageously just beyond the point to which the end of said ram or plunger reaches

page_text: at the termination of its advance and the change from the smaller to the
larger bore or size may either be gradual or sharp (or if desired) the end of the
ram or plunger may pass into the said enlargement) the effect of this enlarge-
ment being that the fuel material entering the press is first forced along or
compressed in the smaller part of the mould between the ram head and the
already compressed fuel in the mould and as said material is forced along the
mould by the advancing ram or plunger it is forced into the larger part of
the mould and the resulting core or length of compressed fuel issuing from
said enlarged part of the mould (which enlarged part of the mould may be of
any suitable length) has the aforesaid characteristics same appearing to be equally
adhesive throughout the whole length thereof.
In place of the above described enlargement a contraction of the bore of the
mould or a contracted neck may be used at any suitable, point in the mould
if desired.
If desired the mould may be made in more than one part advantageously in
the form of a trough and cover part or loose side or more than one side of the
mould may be made movable and such movable cover or side or sides may be
held at the end over or nearest to the ram or plunger by hinges or equivalent
while means may be provided to cause the other end of the side or sides to
press with more or less force on the issuing fuel or any other suitable method
may be used to adjust the resistance which the fuel offers to the ram or plunger.
The sides of the mould whether movable or not may be constructed with a
lining of any suitable material such lining being so arranged that it may readily
be removed if desired and replaced by another lining.
With the object of securing equal or more equal cohesion or adhesion in the
core or length of fuel produced a special form of ram or plunger may be used
either instead of or in conjunction with the above improved mould the face or
operating end of such ram or plunger being provided with one or more pro-
jecting tongues or with one or more recesses or both and the said tongues or
recesses may be tapered or of any other suitable form. With the same
object a ram or plunger may be used of smaller section than the chamber in
which it works, or part or parts of said ram may be of smaller section in
stepped" form, and if necessary means may be employed to periodically close
the port through which the fuel mixture is fed into the chamber either by
causing such ram or plunger to slide in contact with that side of the chamber
in which the said port is situated or by other suitable means.
And in order that this part of the present invention may be easily under-
stood and readily carried into practice we will proceed to further describe same
with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed and in these said drawings
there is only shown that part of a press to which the present improvements
relate such improvements being applicable for instance to a press such as is
illustrated in Forester's Patent No. 6853 of 1896.
Referring to Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings:
:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved mould with differential
bore.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is plan thereof.
Fig. 4 is end elevation and Fig. 5 cross sectional view on line 5-5 Fig. 2–
both the latter figures looking in the direction of the arrow X.
A is the plunger or ram head.
B is the inlet by which the fuel material enters the smaller part C of the
mould in which smaller part the ram head A is reciprocated.
Z is the point at which the larger part D of the mould commences.
In the mould illustrated this enlarged part D is shown with movable cover E
and movable side F.
Against the top E rests the lever G pivoted at the fixed point G¹ and at its
other end G same is held down by a powerful spring H which is compressed

page_text: between said end 62 and the adjusting nut I adapted to be turned on the
screw-threaded rod by means of the handles I'.
In order to apply power simultaneously to the side E and side F the lower
end J of the screw-threaded rod J is pivoted at 'to bell crank K which latter
is pivoted at the fixed point K2 and the arm K³ of this bell crank lever K bears
against the movable side F of the trough.
".
Thus it will be seen that when the pressure of the fuel in the enlarged part
of the mould D either laterally against the side or vertically against the
side E or both is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring H thereupon
the latter will allow the side For top E as the case may be (or both) to "give
so that the degree of compression of the fuel in the chamber D can be regulated
as desired.
23
Furthermore it will readily be seen that the amount of (each charge of) fresh
fuel compressed between the said ram head and the compressed fuel already in
the mould does not retain the form into which it is first pressed because as said
compressed fuel passes the % (that is passes from the smaller part C into the larger
part D) same is spread and forced into another formation in the enlarged part D
with the result that the core or length of compressed fuel issuing from said
enlarged part D of the mould appears to be equally cohesive throughout the
whole length thereof; and thus is obviated the aforesaid tendency of the fuel
to divide or not to adhere completely at the division line of each charge com.
pressed by the ram.
Any suitable lining (not shown) may be employed in the smaller part C of
the mould in the larger part I) of the mould.
and
or
When the top and side are made movable as shown in the drawings-a corner
piece Y may be employed (as shown in Fig. 5 and also shown in separate
detail view in Fig. 6 the latter on a greatly enlarged scale) at the proximate
edges of the cover E and side F said corner piece 1 being held in position by
means of studs e and f (carried on said corner piece Y) and adapted to slide
in grooves or guide-ways formed to receive same in the said cover E and side F
respectively so as to thus maintain the shape of the fuel along this edge or
corner of the mould when the cover or side or both are moved outwardly.
MEANS FOR CUTTING PRESSED FUEL INTO BLOCKS.
Another part of the present invention consists of apparatus for or relating
to cutting the compressed fuel (as it issues from the above or any other suitable
fuel press) into blocks or pieces of any suitable length or size.
It has been found in attempting to cut fuel issuing from a fuel press by
means of a knife moving (sweeping) across the orifice that when the knife has
entered the fuel to a certain depth such knife appears to act as a wedge the
rest of the block of fuel being split or broken off and as a result the surface
"small" and dust when the
at such fracture is rough and liable to produce
block is handled. With the primary objects of obviating these drawbacks and
avoiding the necessity of giving the knife a long stroke two knives are by this
invention provided and arranged to enter at or about the same time from opposite
sides of the fuel and meeting or nearly meeting in front of the outlet, by which
means the broken surface or fracture is obviated or reduced and its position
removed from one side to the centre of the cut surface where it is much less
objectionable.
or
A further improvement relates to or has for its object the reduction of the
tendency which the knives have to crush the fuel by providing-for the
compressed fuel protruding beyond the path of the knives--a mould
support which may advantageously be of the same or approximately the same
shape as the outlet of the pressing mould but of slightly larger dimensions
and may consist of a trough with a cover resting on the fuel such support
(which may be of any suitable length) is advantageously arranged as close as
possible to the outlet of the mould leaving only just sufficient room
or

page_text: "clearance to allow the aforesaid knives to operate between the support- and
the mould outlet and with a view to reducing the room or "clearance" neces-
sary the said knives may be built up of a thin plate of steel or other suitable
material forming the cutter strengthened on one or both sides by a C-shaped
frame in such a way that only the thin plate has to pass between the mould
outlet and the said support.
The said support whether of the form of a trough and cover or not may he
constructed with a lining of any suitable material such lining being so arranged
that it may readily be changed if desired.
The block having been cut off and resting in said support will be pushed out
of the latter by the core of compressed fuel as the latter is forced out of the press
or may be removed in any other desired manner.
The operation of the aforesaid knives may be effected by any suitable means
thus when applied to a press of the Bourrier type or the like or other suitable
press the knives may be mounted on a pair of rods caused to slide to and fro
by any suitable means for instance by connection with a pair of eccentrics
mounted opposite one another on a shaft revolving at the same speed as the
crank shaft operating the ram or plunger the eccentricity of the said eccentric
being such that the travel of each rod is about double the distance to which each
knife is required to enter the fuel then by attaching one knife to one of these
rods and allowing it to slide freely on the other merely using the latter as a guide
(or allowing it to slide on a fixed or any other suitable guide) and attaching the
second knife to this latter rod so that this second knife may slide on the first-
mentioned rod (or any other suitable guide) a block of fuel will be cut after
each stroke of the ram or plunger and the advance of the fuel will not be
impeded provided that the cutting machinery is in the proper phase when the
advance takes place i.e. the knives must be furthest apart at the moment when
about half the time occupied by the fuel in its advance has elapsed. Blocks
of a length equal to twice thrice or more times the length of fuel ejected by a
single stroke of the ram or plunger may readily be obtained by throwing the
cutting machinery out of gear at a moment when the knives are clear of the
path of the fuel and allowing it to remain out of gear for one two or more
revolutions of the crank shaft giving motion to the ram or plunger and by the
provision of suitable mechanism such as a suitable clutch and operating gear
this throwing out of action and again into action may be made automatic.
If a press is used having two moulds by connecting the rams or plungers to
two cranks opposite one another on the same shaft or two shafts revolving at
the same speed and by further arranging for an additional pair of knives-the
outermost of each pair being attached to one sliding rod and the innermost to
the other simple means are provided for extending the machinery so as
to deal with each of the two cores of fuel and such machinery may be arranged
so that there may be a time (when the sliding rods are about in the middle of
their stroke) when all the knives are clear of the fuel and the cutting machinery
may be thrown out of gear for one or more revolutions as above described.
The provision of such an opportunity for throwing the four knives out of action
is facilitated by increasing the travel of the above-mentioned sliding rods.
An advantageous method of carrying out that part of the present invention
which relates to the cutting of the fuel having been described it will be seen
that this part of the invention may be utilised in a variety of ways for instance
the above knives operated in the way described or in any other suitable manner
and (either with or without the " "support" described) might he used in con-
junction with means for altering the stroke of the ram or plunger so as to
produce briquettes of greater or less length.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 7 to 15 is illustrated apparatus-accord-
ing to the present invention for cutting pressed fuel into blocks as same
emerges from the mould.

page_text: Fig. 7 is an end view and Fig. 8 a plan of the arrangement of cutting knives
at the outlet end of the mould i.e. of a double press.
Fig. 9 is end view in elevation and Fig. 10 plan of the gear or mechanism
employed for operating the double set of knives or cutters illustrated in Figs. 7
and 8 respectively.
Fig. 11 is an end view; Fig. 12 is a side view; and Fig. 13 a plan (on an
enlarged scale) of the differential gear to enable different sizes of blocks of fuel
to be cut off as desired.
Fig. 14 is an end view and Fig. 15 an edge view-on an enlarged scale-of
catch clutch employed as hereinafter set forth.
M is one knife or cutter and N the other knife forming a pair of cutters
arranged to approach from opposite sides the core of fuel projecting from the
mould d so as to simultaneously cut the fuel from opposite sides thereof-the
said cutters being adapted and arranged to meet or nearly meet or overlap at
or about midway across the outlet of the mould d.
These said cutters M and N are arranged to act in conjunction with one or
more moulds d-a pair of said cutters being provided for each outlet respec-
tively.
In the arrangement illustrated two moulds d are shown and an extra pair
of cutters MINI to act in conjunction therewith as follows:-
The cutters MN are fixed to the sliding rod 01 (see Fig. 8) which sliding rod
carries the cross-head 0* the latter. travelling on the lower of the guide rods o
said cross-head being reciprocated by the eccentric rod S operated by the
eccentric S¹ fixed on the shaft W. The said rod O' being adapted to slide
loosely through the frame Q carrying the cutters MN; while the frames M*N*
carrying the cutters MN are adapted to slide loosely on the sliding rod O.
The said frame Q is fixed to and is reciprocated by the sliding rod O carrying
a cross-head 0** which latter is reciprocated by the eccentric rod P operated
by the eccentric P¹ the latter being fixed on the aforesaid shaft W* in or about
the opposite phase to the eccentric S¹.
Suitable bearings or supports are provided through which said rods and O¹
are adapted to slide longitudinally.
Thus it will be seen that when the cutter M is moved towards the cutter N
the latter will simultaneously be moved towards the former while the other
pair of cutters M¹ and N¹ will simultaneously be caused to recede from one
another and vice-versa when the cutters MN are caused to simultaneously
approach one another the first named pair of cutters MN will be caused to
simultaneously recede from one another.
By arranging these cutters in proper phase relatively to the reciprocation
of the ram or plunger which compresses the fuel and forces same as a core out
of the respective moulds d it will readily be seen that each pair of cutters in
Turn are laid open and kept clear of the outlet of the mould d while the com-
pressed fuel is being forced out from the same and then while such projected
fuel is at rest the cutters are caused to approach said core of fuel and cut into
same from opposite sides thereof until a length of fuel has thus been severed
from the core whereupon said pair of cutters are caused to recede clear of the
mould outlet before the next forcing out of the fuel commences.
By varying the length of the stroke of the ram or plunger thereby the
amount of fuel pressed out of the mould at each stroke of said ram will be
varied and thus larger or smaller blocks of fuel will be produced according
to the stroke of the ram thus varied
Instead of, or in conjunction with, variation of the length of stroke of the
ram being employed as aforesaid-means may be employed to throw the cutters
out of action after same have been laid open and leave same out of action during
one two or more strokes of the plunger or ram head to thus vary the length
of fuel cut off at each operation of the cutters and thereby vary the size of the
fuel blocks thus produced as follows:-
-

page_text: W is the main driving shaft which is constantly revolved advantageously by
means of and in gear with the motor or mechanism by which the ram-head or
plunger of the press are operated.
This shaft W terminates at W (as shown in Figs. 10) and is rigidly keyed
or fixed to the boss of one part T of a clutch, the other part U of said clutch
being keyed to the separate shaft W which latter terminates at or about the
point W this end W2 of this shaft being free to revolve within the said boss T.
On this shaft Ware mounted eccentrics P¹ and S as aforesaid.
An eccentric is fixed to the shaft W and operates the eccentric rod V so
as to reciprocate the latter continuously (see Fig. 11) the lower end of this
eccentric engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel fixed on the counter-
shaft the latter being journalled in any suitable bearings.
Cam discs or cams 1 and 2 are rigidly fixed to said ratchet wheel or to
the counter-shaft (for instance the cams 1 and 2 on the ratchet wheel el may
all be cast in one piece-see Fig. 13) so that said ratchet wheel is moved
round step by step by the operation of the eccentric V whereby the aforesaid
cams 1 and 2 will be similarly revolved.
3 is a lever keyed to a short shaft 4 journalled in the fixed part 5 of the frame
of the apparatus, and 6 is an arm also carried on said shaft 4; the lever or
arm 3 shaft 4 and arm 6 thus form practically a bell crank.
The arm is splined on said shaft 4 or the latter may be a sliding shaft so
as to allow said arm to be moved laterally and rest on either cam 1 or on
cam 2.
As the said cam is revolved step by step it will sooner or later (according to
the formation of the said cam) raise the arm and thereby throw the arm 6
clear of the tail 7 of the catch clutch 8, which tail part 7 is carried round in
a circular path and operates as shown in Figs. 14 and 15 as follows:-
In Fig. 14 the catch clutch 8 is pivoted at U to the clutch part and same
is kept pressed in the path of travel of the constantly revolving clutch part T
by means of the spring 9 a dent T¹ being provided in the constantly revolving
clutch part T adapted to catch and engage the nose 10 on the said catch clutch S
thus it will be seen that the clutch part T will engage the point 10 of the
catch 8 and thereby carry round the clutch part and consequently revolve the
shaft W* until the nose 6 (Fig. 11) on the bell crank 6 is moved into the path
of travel of the said tail-end 7" whereupon the latter will strike against the said
nose 6 and will thus draw the catch clutch 8 out of engagement with the
clutch part T and thus arrest any further revolution of the clutch part and
shaft until the aforesaid cam 1 or cam 2 as the case may be comes round
und moves the nose 6" clear of the tail piece 7 and consequently allows the
nose 10 of the latter to again interpose in the path of travel of the dent Ton
the clutch part T so that on the latter coming round and engaging the nose 10
of the catch clutch S thereby the parts T and U will again be locked together
and revolved together until disengaged again, as aforesaid, and so on.
Thus it will readily be seen that according to the shape of the cam 1 or 2
or other suitable cam revolved by a suitable ratchet wheel the revolution of
the shaft W can be suspended for one, 2, 3 or more revolutions of the shaft W
and consequently the operation of the cutters is suspended until the desired
length of core of fuel has been forced out of the mould d whereupon the cutters
will act to cut same off as before described and then go out of action again
and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
-
1. An improved method of manufacturing artificial fuel which consists in
forcing the fuel material (during the process of pressing same) through a mould-
ing chamber of differing cross-sectional dimensions in order to obtain complete

page_text: adhesion, or more complete adhesion than heretofore, between the successive
charges.
2. A press for the manufacture of artificial fuel-having a moulding or press-
ing chamber of differential size or shape in cross-section through which the
fuel material is forced as a continuous core by means of a ram or plunger
adapted to be reciprocated in said differential moulding chamber.
3. In a press for the manufacture of artificial fuel, a moulding or pressing
chamber having one part thereof of larger size than the part into which is fed
the fuel material to be pressed and a ram head or plunger adapted to be recipro-
cated in said chamber in suchwise as to force said fuel from said smaller part
through said larger part of said chamber and simultaneously mould and press
said fuel into a continuous core.
4. A press for the manufacture of artificial fuel with a moulding or pressing
chamber having the one part thereof D of larger size than the other part C
into which latter is fed the fuel material to be pressed in combination and
acting in conjunction with a ram head or plunger A adapted to be reciprocated
in said chamber in suchwise as to force said fuel material from said smaller
part C into and through said larger part 1 of said chamber and simultaneously
mould and press said fuel into a continuous core substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed.
5. In a press having a reciprocatory ram or plunger for compressing and
moulding artificial fuel-dividing the mould longitudinally into more than one
part and hinging same together at the end nearest the plunger in combination
and acting in conjunction with adjustable means for forcing the said parts of the
mould together in suchwise as to press with more or less force on the fuel as
it is forced between same by the operation of a reciprocating ram or plunger
substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. In a press for the manufacture of artificial fuel-constructing the mould
in the form of a trough with movable side and movable cover said side and cover
each being hinged or attached at one end thereof to the trough in suchwise that
the other end thereof is adapted to be pressed against the fuel material as the
latter is forced along between same by the operation of a reciprocating ram-head
or plunger, and means to adjust the pressure against said fuel exerted by said
cover and side respectively.
7. In a press for the manufacture of artificial fuel, constructing the moulding
or pressing chamber thereof of differential size or shape in cross section in com-
bination and acting in conjunction with a movable side or sides each hinged
or attached at one end to said mould in suchwise that the other end is adapted
to be pressed against the fuel material as the latter is forced along between
same by the operation of a reciprocating ram head or plunger, and adjustable
means to press said movable side or sides against said fuel substantially in the
manner and for the purposes described with reference to the drawings hereunto
annexed.
8. The improved arrangement and construction of moulding or pressing chamber
for compressing artificial fuel and moulding same into a continuous core substan-
tially as herein before described and as illustrated in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
9. The combination with a press adapted to produce a continuous core of
artificial fuel, of a pair of cutters arranged to approach the core of fuel-pro-
jected from the mould- from opposite sides thereof to cut same, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
10. The combination with a press adapted to produce a continuous core of
artificial fuel, of a pair of cutters arranged to be reciprocated in the same plane
and adapted to simultaneously approach the core of fuel-projected from the
mould from opposite sides thereof to cut same, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
11. The combination with a press adapted to produce a continuous core of

page_text: artificial fuel, of a pair of cutters arranged to approach the core of fuel-pro-
jected from the mould-from opposite sides thereof to cut same, and a support
for the fuel projecting from the press, adapted to support said projecting fuel,
before, during, and after, cutting; substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
12. The herein described method of cutting different lengths from a core of
fuel projected by means of a ram or plunger out of a fuel press; which
consists in causing the cutters to be operated at different intervals according
to the length of fuel it is desired to cut off at each operation of the cutters.
13. In the manufacture of artificial fuel-the herein described improved
means of cutting off blocks from a core of fuel as same is projected from the
mould by means of a reciprocating ram or plunger, in combination and acting
in conjunction with a moulding chamber of differing cross-sectional dimensions
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
14. A press for the manufacture of artificial fuel having the moulding chamber
thereof and cutters operating in connection therewith constructed combined_and
arranged to act substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and as
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
W1000
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.