Improvements in Preparing Peat Fibre, Peat Dust, Peat Fuel and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1900-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Preparing Peat Fibre, Peat Dust, Peat Fuel and
the like.
FRANCIS MCNAMEE, 2, Ballybough Road, Dublin, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I take cubes of turf of a suitable kind for making fire lighters I cut the turf
into cubes from six to nine inches long two inches and one half to three inches
wide and from one to one and a half inches thick. I divide the cubes into
three divisions by cutting one groove down the centre and two grooves across,
these grooves are cut about one half inch deep into one side of cubes of turf
for the double purpose of dividing the cubes of turf into six fire lighters and so
that each fire lighter can be broken off from the others. In the centre of each
fire lighter I bore a hole through from side to side which acts as a combusting
chamber or I may dispense with the combusting chamber. I then pass the
fire lighters through boiling resin oil or any other oil or suitable grease or I
may dip the fire lighters in cold parafin rock or any other highly volatile oils.
I again dip the fire lighters in a boiling solution composed of two parts of resin
by weight and one part of dry slacked lime. The peat dust made by dressing
the fire lighters or peat made into dust by any other means I use as a deodorizer
and disinfectant in dry powder in the chambers and night comodes used by
sick people, in water closets of private and public institutions and dry closets or
lateris used in military barracks mixed with from one to ten per cent, according
to the nature of the fluid or substance to be disinfected, of any of the following
chemicals either separate or combined, sesquichloride of iron, chloride of man-
ganise, chlorine, carbolic acid, carbolic powder, permanganate of potassa crude
or refined, chloride of lime, spirits of turpentine, chloride and hyper-
chlorite of zinc or any other approved of deodorizer and disinfectant.
add
the peat powder either medicated or plain from three
to ten per cent. of strong scent of any kind which may be desired or approved of,
the powder floats on the top of the foul water or acrement and keeps down and
destroys the unpleasant smell also disease germs and the scent mixed with the
peat powder ascends and diffuses a fragrant odour through the apartment. The
cuttings from the turf in making the fire lighters I use for bedding or litter for
horses, cattle and other purposes I mix with this bedding smartweed or the
extract of smartweed for the purpose of banishing flies from horses or I may use
about three per cent, of spirits of turpentine or a small percentage of the medicated
peat dust or I may pass through it the smoke of burning sulphur or the steam
generated by sulphuric acid and dry burnt lime stone.
to
Pick out the peat fibre when making fire lighters and peat litter or I may
take peat fibre either wet or dry from the bogs, I wash the fibre in suitable
vessels to clear all earthy substances and dust out of it. I then steep the peat
fibre in a weak bath of from one to three per cent. of zincate of soda or I may use
alkaline baths or a bath made by any of the usual acids from one to five per cent.

page_text: With
in strength for chemically preparing and removing out of the fibre all foreign
substances the fibre is thoroughly washed with clean water dried, prepared plai
or medicated for making lint for medical and surgical use of any description
which may be required or making into felt for various useful purposes, or for
spinning into fine thread or coarse yarn for the making of different kinds of cloth,
for making cloth I preferably mix with the peat fibre from 3 to 6 per cent. of
wool, hair, flax, tow, rhea fibre or any other suitable and absorbent fibre.
this fine and coarse yarn one for weft the other for warp I may use all fine thread
or all coarse yarn for warp and weft as may be desired. I weave into towels of a
suitable length and width with an open or close mesh for the use of hospitals
and other institutions and more particularly for female use when travelling
walking or cycling, these towels are remarkably soft, pliable, antiseptic and
possess an extraordinary capacity for absorbing and containing moisture.
The portion of peat which is unsuitable for litter, firelighter, or medicated
dust by reason of its close heavy nature I make into briquettes for steam
generating or domestic use as follows. I cut large blocks out of the face of turf
bank which I place on strainers of a suitable kind to allow the latent water to
drain off preferably under cover when sufficiently dry for handling I cut the
blocks into thin slabs by circular or other saws I let these slabs dry for a few days
more I then saw them into handy cubes which I place in a rapidly revolving
hydro-extractor which expels nearly all the remaining moisture out of the peat I
then disintegrate the meat into fine powder by suitable machinery it is then
passed into a chamber containing hot burnt lime stone which absorbs the remain-
ing moisture contained in the peat dust or I may carry the ground peat on to a
perforated kiln and force hot air up through it, the hot air may be produced by
the burning of lime stone or any other means. In this last process of drying
either in line chambers or on kilns the peat is constantly kept roused by
mechanical means to allow the remaining moisture to escape freely. The peat
dust is then mixed with from 35 to 50 per cent. of finely ground unburnt lime
stone from 9 to 12 per cent. of common pitch from 5 to 10 per cent. of coal tar or
oil or any other suitable grease and I may add 5 to 10 per cent. of burnt lime or
caustic lime or any kind of marl or clay of any color. I mix all up in a super-
heated pug-mill which forces the peat with its different mixtures into a briquette
making machine. I vary the above percentages to meet the requirements of
trade for fast or slow burning briquettes. I may mix with the peat bituminous
or anthracite coal slack for the making of briquettes and alter by adding to or
diminishing the percentages of all or any of above ingredients to meet trade
requirements.
This invention is in conjunction with and an improvement on my Patents
Nos. 22169, 1893 and 1190, 1894.
TAL
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בד
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1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Preparing Peat Fibre, Peat Dust, Peat Fuel and
the like.
FRANCIS MCNAMEE, 2, Ballybough Road, Dublin, 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:-
I take cubes of turf of a suitable kind for making fire lighters. I cut the turf
into cubes from six to nine inches long, two inches and one half to three inches

page_text: wide and from one to one and a half inches thick. I divide the cubes into three
divisions by cutting one groove down the centre and two grooves across, these
grooves are cut about one half inch deep into one side of cubes of turf for the
double purpose of dividing the cubes of turf into six fire lighters so that each
firelighter can be broken off from the others. In the centre of each firelighter
I bere a hole through from side to side which acts as a combusting chamber or I
may dispense with the combusting chamber. I then pass the firelighters through
boiling resin oil or any other oil or suitable grease or I may dip the firelighters
in in cold parafin rock or any other highly volatile oils. I again dip the fire
lighters in a boiling solution composed of two parts of resin by weight and one
part of dry slacked lime. The peat dust made by dressing the firelighters or
peat made into dust by any other means 1 use as a deodoizer and disiniectant in
dry powder in the chambers and night commodes used by sick people, in water
closets of private and public institutions and dry closets or latrines used in
military barracks, mixed with from one to ten per cent, according to the nature
of the fluid or substance to be disinfected, of any of the following chemicals
either separate or combined, sesquichloride of iron; chloride of manganise,
chlorine, carbolic acid, carbolic powder dry permanganate of potassia (crude
or refined) chloride of lime, spirits or oil of turpentine, chloride and. hypochlorite
of zinc, naphthaline crude or refined or any other approved of deodorizer and
disinfectant. I add to the peat powder either medicated or plain from three
to ten per cent. of strong scent, of any kind, which may be desired or approved
of, the powder floats on the top of the foul water and keeps down and destroys
the unpleasant smell, also disease germs, and the scent mixed with the peat
powder ascends and diffuses a fragrant odour through the apartment. The
cuttings from the turf in making the fire lighters 1 use for bedding, or litter for
horses, cattle, and other purposes. I mix with this bedding smart weed or the
extract of smartweed for the purpose of banishing flies from horses or I may use
about three per cent. of spirits or oil of turpentine or a small per centage of the
medicated peat dust or I may pass through it the smoke of burning sulphur or
the steam generated by sulphuric acid and dry burnt lime stone. I pick out
the peat fibre when making fire lighters and peat litter or I may take peat fibre
either wet or dry from the bogs I wash the fibre in suitable vessels to clear all
earthy substances and dust out of it, I then steep the peat fibre in a weak bath of,
from one to three per cent. of zincate of soda or I may use sulphuric baths from
one to five per cent. in strength for chemically preparing and removing out of
the fibre all foreign substances the fibre is then thoroughly washed with clean
water dried prepared, plain or medicated for making lint for medical and surgical
of any description which may be required, or making into felt, for various
useful purposes or for spinning into fine thread or coarse yarn for the making
of different kinds of cloth.
use,
For making cloth I preferably mix with the peat fibre from three to six per cent.
of wool, hair, flax, tow, rhea fibre, or any other suitable and absorbent fibre, with
this fine thread and coarse yarn, one for weft, the other for warp, I may use all
fine thread or all coarse yarn for warp and weft as may be desired, I weave into
towels of a suitable length and width with an open or close mesh for the use of
hospitals and other institutions and more particularly for female use when
travelling walking or cycling, these towels are remarkably soft pliable antiseptic
and possess an extraordinary capacity for absorbing and containing moisture.
The portion of peat which is unsuitable for litter, firelighters, or medicated
dust by reason of its close heavy nature I make into briquittes, of any shape or
size by pressure when the material is hot, for steam generating or domestic
use as follows, I cut large blocks out of the face of turf bank which I place on
strainers of a suitable kind to allow the latent water to drain off preferably
under cover, when sufficiently dry for handling I cut the blocks into thin slabs
by circular or other saws, I let these slabs dry for a few days more, I then saw
them into handy cubes which I place in a rapidly revolving hydro-extractor which

page_text: expels nearly all the remaining moisture out of the peat, then disintegrate the
peat into fine powder by suitable machinery, it is then passed into a chamber
containing hot burnt limestone which absorbs the remaining moisture contained
in the peat dust, or, I may carry the ground peat on to a perforated kiln and
force hot air up through it, the hot air may be produced by the burning of
limestone or any other means. In this last process of drying either in lime
chambers or in kilns, the peat is constantly kept roused by mechanical means
to allow the remaining moisture to escape freely. The peat dust is then mixed
with from 35 to 50 per cent. of finely ground unburnt limestone, as expressed
and embodied in No. 221691893, sealed patent granted to me, from 9 to 12 per cent.
of common pitch, from 5 to 10 per cent. of coal tar or oil or any other suitable
grease and may add from 5 to 10 per cent, of burnt lime or any kind of marl or
clay of any color. I mix all up in a super heated pugmill which forces the peat
with its different mixtures into a briquette making machine.
I make the heavy dense peat into charcoal for smelting iron, steel and other
purposes by passing it through horizontal retorts, chambers or large tubes of a
suitable kind, either with or without an archmedian screw fixed on to a horizontal
shalf. These retorts are heated up to a high temperature from 200 to 600 degrees
F. For the purpose of extracting the numerous by-products out of the peat,
suitable outlet pipes are attached to the retorts for carrying off steam and gases
expelled out of the peat which I distil or condense, also pipes to run off tar and
sediment. The hot air from the retorts I utilise for drying the peat in its various
stages, also for heating up hot houses for horticultural purposes.
I may also mix with the peat and limestone bituminous or anthracite coal
dust for the making of briquettes and I also add a small percentage of salt or
sulphuric acid as required to the briquettes, to meet the requirements of trade
for fast or slow burning. I may alter by adding to or diminishing the percentages
of all or any of above ingredients to meet trade requirements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:—
1st. The economical method of getting peat from bog and preparing it for
future treatment by hydro-extracts and hot burnt lime.
2nd. The combination of resin lime and oil in making peat firelighters.
3rd. The utilising of peat in conjunction with smartweed and chemicals as a
deodorizer and disinfectant.
4th. The purifying and chemically preparing of peat fibre for surgical purposes
and the combination with peat fibre, of other fibres and for the manufacturing
of cloth and antiseptic towels.
5th. The mixing of ground unburnt lime stone and salt and sulphuric acid,
pitch tar and grease, with peat for fuel as herein described in conjunction with
and improvement on my Patent No. 221691893.
6th. The making of peat charcoal, the distilling and condensing of all its
by-products and the re-using of waste heat from retorts for drying peat and
heating up hot houses.
Dotod this 15th day of Juno 1000