PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND HEATING, AMALGAMATING, MOULDING, AND COMPRESSING, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE "MANU- FACTURE OF PRESERVED COAL
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Walker Wood, of Blackweir, Cardiff, in
•
$6 IM.
the County of Glamorgan, Gentleman, for the Invention of
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND HEATING, AMALGAMATING,
MOULDING, AND COMPRESSING, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE "MANU-
FACTURE OF PRESERVED COAL."
Sealed the 17th January 1871, and dated the 8th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Walker Wood
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th November 1870.
I, HENRY WALKER WOOD, of Blackweir, Cardiff, in the County of Gla-
morgan, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND HEATING, AMALGAMATING,
MOULDING, AND COMPRESSING, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE Manufacture
OF PRESERVED COAL," to be as follows:-
"
This Invention has reference chiefly to preparing and preserving coal
by drying and heating it, and mixing, and thoroughly amalgamating it,
when hot and dry, either with pitch or with other analogous material or

page_text: materials, as is described in the Specification of my Patent dated 5th
August 1856, No. 1840.
For the purpose of drying and heating the coal before mixing and
thoroughly amalgamating it with pitch or other materials, I employ
apparatus constructed as follows:-This apparatus consists of a hollow
heating cylinder, which is heated internally by placing a furnace at
one end thereof, the flame and hot air from which pass through the
cylinder, or the heating may be otherwise effected, for instance, by
having a fire within the cylinder, or by bringing the flame and hot
air from the finishing amalgamating apparatus herein-after referred to
around the regulating receiver herein-after described, and onwards
through the drying cylinder, into which a further supply of heat may
be conveyed from the boiler furnaces, when and if necessary and con-
venient to do so. The heating cylinder or cylinders must be provided
with dampers wherever necessary to regulate the draught according to
varying conditions of coal. The cylinder is also furnished externally
with a number of shelves, and is made to rotate horizontally or nearly
so, it is also enclosed in a casing to keep in the dust and to receive the
dry and hot coal. Coal is supplied to the shelves of the cylinder from
a suitable hopper, and after having been thoroughly dried and heated
is discharged either intermittently or continuously into a receiver placed
horizontally, vertically, or in an inclined position. In this receiver there
is added to every regulated quantity of dry hot coal its proper proportion
of powdered pitch or other similar or suitable material or materials.
The receiver is kept hot by the flame and hot air either from or to the
cylinder being made to pass through an outer casing or jacket, and the
receiver is furnished with a revolving screw shaft which stirs up and
propels forward the mixed materials to the top of a hot amalgamating
and finishing mixer, which effects a very perfect and thorough amalga-
mation of the materials.
The hot mixing and finishing apparatus employed is by preference
that described in the Specification of Thomas Henton Wood's Patent,
dated 7th March 1862, No. 617.
From the amalgamating and finishing apparatus the mass passes into
strong moulds, in which it is pressed by suitable power, either wind,
water, steam, or by hydraulic pressure, the latter in preference, in which
case I place below the amalgamating mixer an ordinary hydraulic
cylinder and ram with a circular horizontal table in which the moulds

page_text: are placed of sufficient strength to bear the heavy pressure required,
the plunger of the press on being propelled either upwards or down-
wards or sideways as most convenient, compresses the substance in the
mould or moulds which for the time being is or are in theirr equisite
position. The ram may at the same time raise a lever with a separate
plunger, and simultaneously discharge, the compressed block or blocks
which may be pushed from the top or the bottom or side of the mould
or moulds, as most convenient; or I attach another small hydraulic
cylinder and ram to discharge the block or blocks and to give an inter-
mittent rotary motion to the tables and valves, thus causing the table of
the press to rotate and the valves to act as and when required.
The apparatus herein described for drying and heating, for mixing and
amalgamating, for moulding and compressing, may be respectively or
in part applied to the preparation of many other substances which
require drying and heating, mixing and amalgamating, moulding and
compressing, for example, for the manufacture of forage biscuits in a
portable and condensed form for horses or other cattle; also for the
manufacture of fire-lumps, fire-bricks, and building bricks, and for drying
grain and seed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Walker Wood in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WALKER WOOD, of. Blackweir, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan;
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Walker Wood, Her special licence,
that I, the said Henry Walker Wood, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Walker Wood, 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,

page_text: 66
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND HEATING, AMALGAMATING, MOULDING, AND
COMPRESSING, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PRESERVED
COAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry !
Walker Wood, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 t
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.to
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Walker Wood, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings; that is to say :-
This Invention has reference chiefly to preparing and preserving coal
by drying and heating it and mixing and thoroughly amalgamating it
when hot and dry either with pitch or with other analogous material or
materials, as is described in the Specification of my Patent, dated 5th
August 1856, No. 1840.
For the purpose of drying and heating the coal before mixing and
thoroughly amalgamating it with pitch or other materials, I employ
apparatus constructed as follows:-This apparatus consists of a hollow
heating cylinder which is heated internally by placing a furnace at one
end thereof, the flame and hot air from which pass through the cylinder,
or the heating may be otherwise effected, for instance, by having a fire
within the cylinder or by bringing the flame and hot air from the
finishing amalgamating apparatus herein-after referred to around the
regulating receiver herein-after described and onwards through the drying
cylinder, into which a further supply of heat'niay be conveyed from the
boiler furnaces when and if necessary and convenient to do so. The
heating cylinder or cylinders must be provided with dampers wherever
necessary to regulate the draught according to varying conditions of coal.
The cylinder is also furnished externally with a number of shelves, and
is made to rotate horizontally or nearly so, it is also enclosed in a casing
to keep in the dust and to receive the dry and hot coal. Coal is supplied
to the shelves of the cylinder from a suitable hopper, and after having

page_text: been thoroughly dried and heated is discharged either intermittently or
continuously into a receiver placed horizontally, vertically, or in an
inclined position, in this receiver there is added to every regulated
quantity of dry hot coal its proper proportion of powdered pitch or other
similar or suitable material or materials. The receiver is kept hot by
the flame and hot air either from or to the cylinder, being made to pass
through an outer casing or jacket, and the receiver is furnished with a
revolving screw shaft which stirs up and propels forward the mixed
materials to the top of a hot amalgamating and finishing mixer which
effects a very perfect and thorough amalgamation of the materials.
The hot mixing and finishing apparatus employed is, by preference,
that described in the Specification of Thomas Henton Wood's Patent,
dated 7th March 1862, No 617.
From the amalgamating and finishing apparatus the mass passes into
strong moulds in which it is pressed by suitable power, either wind,
water, steam, or hydraulic pressure, the last in preference, in which case
I place below the amalgamating mixer an ordinary hydraulic cylinder
and ram with a circular horizontal table in which the moulds are
placed of sufficient strength to bear the heavy pressure required. The
plunger of the press on being propelled either upwards, or downwards,
or sideways, as most convenient, compresses the substance in the
mould or moulds which for the time being is or are in the requisite
position. The ram may at the same time raise a lever with a separate
plunger and simultaneously discharge the compressed block or blocks
which may be pushed from the top or the bottom or side of the mould
or moulds as most convenient, or I attach another small hydraulic
cylinder and ram to discharge the block or blocks and to give an
intermittent rotary motion to the table and work the valves, thus
causing the table of the press to rotate and the valves to act as and
when required.
'
The apparatus herein described for drying and heating, for mixing
and amalgamating, for moulding and compressing may be respectively
or in part applied to the preparation of many other substances which
require drying and heating, mixing and amalgamating, moulding and
compressing, for example, for the manufacture of forage biscuits in a
portable and condensed form for horses and other cattle; also for the
manufacture of fire-lumps, fire-bricks, and building bricks, and for drying
grain and seed.

page_text: The manner in when my said improvements may be carried to e
will be fully understood by the accompanying Drawings and the following
description thereof :-
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the heating cylinder,
and Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same; Figure 3 is a side eleva-
tion, and Figure 4 an end elevation, both on a smaller scale, showing the
general arrangement of the apparatus composed of the heating cylinder,
the regulating receiver, and the hot amalgamating and finishing mixer;
Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section on a larger scale of the
press, and Figure 6 a plan of the same; Figures 7 to 12 represent
details.
a is a hollow cylinder which is made to rotate by endless chains b, b;
these chains being passed under wheels c, c, on the said cylinder and
over wheels d on a driving shaft d¹. The cylinder a may be enclosed
by a casing attached to the stanchions A, A, and extending up to the
hopper herein-after mentioned; e, e, are shelves on the exterior of the
cylinder af is a furnace constructed at one end of the cylinder, and the
flame and hot air from which pass through the interior of the cylinder
and into and through the flue g to a flue chamber j, Figure 3. h,
Figure 4, is a hopper by which small coal or slack is supplied to the
shelves e, e, of the cylinder a; this hopper is provided with any ordinary
mechanism by which the supply of coal therefrom may be regulated';
i is the regulating receiver consisting of a bell-shaped receptacle, into
which the dry and hot coal is conveyed by means of a rotating screw k
from a trough k¹, into which the coal falls on leaving the shelves e; '
is a hopper containing the powdered pitch or other similar or suitable
material, which is required to be mixed with the dry and hot coal. The
supply of this powdered pitch is regulated by an adjustable feeder m
worked by a cam m¹ and lever m²; the pitch falls into the trough k¹
from which the rotating screw k carries it together with the coal into the
receiver i. The shaft of the screw k which is rotated by means of a
pulley n is carried through the receiver i, and that portion of it which
is within the receiver is provided with arms or agitators o, o, which stir
up the coal and pitch, mixing them well together and propelling them
forward to the opposite end of the receiver, when they fall down a shoot
or incline p into the hot amalgamating and finishing mixer q. The
receiver i is kept hot by the flame and hot air from the furnace f, which
as before stated pass into the flue chamber; in which the said receiver
.

page_text: is situated;,, are dampers to regulate the draught. The receiver ;
is made to rotate by means of a toothed wheel which derives its
motion by means of the shaft and gearing (as shewn in Figure 3)
from the shaft of the screw k. The receiver may be fitted with
internal shelves or other suitable appliances in place of or in addition
to the arms or agitators o, or the internal mechanism may be dis-,
pensed with if the materials can be satisfactorily conducted without
it to the amalgamating mixer. The hot amalgamating and finishing
mixer q is that described in the Specification of Thomas Henton Wood's
Patent herein-before referred to and need not therefore be further
explained. From this mixer the mass passes to the hydraulic press
which is shewn clearly in Figures 5 and 6, and which I now proceed to
describe; is a strong hydraulic (or steam or compressed air) cylinder,
and s is its ram or piston, this ram carries a block t; u is another block
herein-after referred to; v, v, v, are three strong columns firmly secured
to the hydraulic cylinder and to a block w, which forms a thrust block
or thrust plate. One of these columns carries a sleeve or collar x for
supporting a horizontal table y, which is free to be rotated round this
sleeve; z, z, are conical antifriction rollers by which the table bears upon
the shoulder of the collar x as shewn; a¹ is a lever centred at one end at
b¹, while its opposite end is attached to the ram of an auxiliary cylinder c¹.
This cylinder and the parts in immediate connection therewith are shewn'
separately in Figures 7 and 8. The lever a¹ passes through slots in
the blocks t and u; e¹, e¹, are moulds in the horizontal table, and f¹‚S',
are plungers corresponding with these moulds; g' is a catch chain which
passes round the table y, one end being connected to the lever a¹, and
the other end to the cylinder c¹; ¹ is a spring plate (shewn separately in
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12), for the purpose herein-after explained.
i
The action of this press is as follows:-Each mould e' as it comes
under the amalgamating and finishing mixer q (Figures 3 and 4) is filled
with the mixture of coal and pitch, and when it comes between the
hydraulic cylinder r and the thrust block w the ram & rises together with
the block t, which thus forces the corresponding plunger f¹ into the
mould, thereby compressing the mass contained in the mould into a
solid homogeneous block. The block t in its upward movement just
described lifts the lever a¹, and this in its turn lifts the block u which
therefore acts upon and raises the plunger f¹ above that block and
forces out the block of fuel which was previously compressed and
has been moved with the table into position above the block . The

page_text: lever a¹ at the same time lifts the ram of the auxiliary cylinder cl, and
as herein-after explained draws the chain g¹ into position ready for acting
upon the table. The ram of the auxiliary cylinder c¹, the pressure to
which is constant, being then forced down the chain g¹ is pulled so that
it moves the table round sufficiently to bring another mould into position.
The ram of the cylinder c¹ in its downward and upward movements also,
by means of tappets m³, m³, Figure 8, opens and shuts the requisite
valves to the main cylinder r, and by forcing down the lever a' ensures
the return of the ram s. On reference to Figures 7 and 8 it will be seen
that one end of the chain g¹ is attached to the cylinder c¹ at h¹; it is
then carried down under the pulley h² up to and over the pulley h³, then
under the pulley h, and over the pulley h³; it is then passed round the
table y, returning over the pulley 7, under the pulley, over the
pulley h, and under the pulley ho to the lever a¹, to which its other cnd is
connected at h¹. The pulleys h², h, h³, move up and down with the
lever a', while the axes of the other pulleys are fixed; thus.as the lever a¹
rises the chain is drawn in one direction, and when the lever descends,
the chain is drawn in the other direction. The chain and table are pro-.
vided with an ordinary paul or catch, which allows the chain to slip
round during the upward movement of the lever, but which pulls the
table when the chain is drawn in the other direction by the descent of
the lever. On the spindle of the pulley ³ is a toothed wheel n¹ which
works a rack n³, the rod of which pushes off the discharged blocks from
the table y upon a strap which is driven by the pulley n³. The object of
the spring plate is to retain the plunger f¹ against the compressed
block during the movement of the table, and until the said plunger is
forced up to discharge the block; thus as the table y is being moved
round by the chain g¹ the plungers f push back the plate as indicated
by dotted lines in Figure 10 against a spring; and when the plungers f
are sufficiently forced up the plate resumes its former position against
the blocks t, u, and thus retains the plungers during the movement of
the table. o, Figure 10, represents an india-rubber buffer spring, and p¹
a bracket fixed to the column v.
From the foregoing description of my press it will be understood that
at each up-stroke of the main ram s the block t is caused to compress a
mass of fuel in one mould, while the block u is caused. to force out the
block of fuel which has been previously compressed in another mould.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my.

page_text: "Improvements in Apparatus for Drying and Heating, Amalgamating,
Moulding, and Compressing; more especially applicable to the Manu-
facture of Preserved Coal,"-
First. The construction and employment, substantially as herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings, for the
purpose of drying and heating, of apparatus consisting of a rotating
cylinder which is heated internally, and to the exterior of which the
material to be dried and heated is applied.
Second. The construction and employment, substantially as herein-
before described and represented in the accompanying Drawings, of
apparatus consisting of a heated receiver to which regulated quantities
of dry hot coal and powdered pitch or other material or materials are
supplied, and by and in which the said materials become well mixed
together.
Third. The general arrangement of apparatus, herein-before described
and represented in the accompanying Drawings, consisting of the heating
cylinder, the heated regulating receiver and mixer, and the hot amalga-
mating and finishing mixer combined together, substantially as shewn
and explained.
Fourth. The particular arrangement, herein-before described and
represented in Figures 5 and 6, by which in one stroke of the ram of a
press compression or moulding is effected in one or more moulds, while
the material previously compressed or moulded in one or more other
moulds is simultaneously discharged.
Fifth. The particular arrangement, herein-before described and repre-
sented in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, for giving an intermittent motion to the
table and for working the valves.
Sixth. The general arrangement or combination of parts of moulding
or compressing apparatus herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Walker Wood, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of May One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.