An Improved Apparatus for Drying or Heating Coal, Peat, Grain, or other. Materials.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Drying or Heating Coal, Peat, Grain, or
other. Materials.
I, ARTHUR EDWARD NIELD YEADON, Engineer, of 4, Albion Place, Leeds, in
the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists in the use or application of a cylinder revolving hori
zontally on bearing rollers having within it a central tube (or shaft) and between
these a continuous spiral screw, the said cylinder being provided with a suitable
stationary mouthpiece at each end by which arrangement the coal or other
materials can be automatically and continuously delivered into, through, and out
of the spiral space thus formed in the cylinder, whilst at the same time a con-
tinuous current of heated air (or other gases) meets with and regularly passes
through the said coal as it is travelling through the spiral space, for the purpose
of drying or heating the coal.
In the following description I shall use the term
any materials requiring to be dried or heated.
"
Coal as also including
I preferably make my cylinder parallel with a horizontal central line, but they
can also be made parallel and sloping.
Inside the cylinder and running almost the whole length of it I have a central
tube closed at one or both ends and of a diameter proportionate to the cylinder.
Between the outside circumference of this tube and the internal surface of the
cylinder I fix a continuous spiral screw running the whole length of the cylinder
both edges of which are fitted with angle iron or other suitable appliance for
securely fixing them to the cylinder and tube and made airtight. The central
tube is thus fixed to and carried by the cylinder.
The feeding end of the cylinder (i.e. where the coal enters) can be rounded off
to a smaller diameter and fitted with an airtight gland through which passes the
front part of a stationary circular double mouth piece the outside end of which
is turned true and smooth to suit and work freely in the revolving gland. This
mouthpiece consists of an external pipe one end of which is open and extends a
little way through the revolving gland into the cylinder, the other end being
closed but having an outlet pipe on the top or side to connect to the exhauster.
Inside and passing through this external pipe I fix an internal pipe (for feeding
in the coal) which has its delivery end open and extending a little beyond the
open end of the external pipe into the cylinder. The other end of this internal
pipe passes through the back or closed end of the external pipe and is fitted at
the top with a suitable hopper to contain the coal.
The hopper is made large enough to hold sufficient head of coal to prevent
ingress of air through the hopper which would check the current of heated air
passing through the coal in the cylinder to the exhauster. Inside this hopper

page_text: and near the bottom I fix a pair of revolving shafts fitted with knives for regula-
ting the quantity of coal falling into the internal feed pipe below in which latter
a revolving shaft fitted with a spiral screw conveys the coal forward into the
cylinder.
7
The outlet pipe on the double mouthpiece is connected with an exhauster to
draw the heated air or gases through the coal in the cylinder and thus carry off
any steam or moisture evaporated from the coal.
The opposite end of the cylinder is open, its outer part being turned true and
smooth so as to revolve freely in a stationary closed end box fitted with a suitable
gland. At or near the top of this end box is fixed an inlet pipe fitted with suit-
able valves for regulating the quantity and temperature of the heated air or
gases for drying or heating the coal in its passage through the cylinder.
Under this end box any suitable arrangement can be fixed for discharging
the dried coal without ingress of air; but I preferably employ a circular dis-
charge pipe with an internal revolving shaft and knives so arranged as to ensure
a continuous discharge of the dried coal when working and yet keep the end of
the discharge pipe constantly full of the dried coal."
On any part of the outside of the cylinder are fixed turned bearing rings with
suitable bearing rollers underneath. Also one or more toothed wheels driven by
pinions or other suitable means or any driving shaft.
The end of the internal spiral screw and the end of the cylinder at the dis-
charging end can be suitable arranged if required to hold back the coal a little,
whilst by regulating the speed of the breakers in the coal hopper to suit the
revolutions of the cylinder, the level of the coal in passing through can always
be kept higher than the bottom of the central tube, thus ensuring that the heated
air passes through the coal instead of merely over the surface.
Waste heat from coke kilns or other furnaces can be utilised for the drying and
heating as above; or the air or gas to be used can be heated by any separate
suitable arrangement of furnace and connected to the inlet pipe of the large end
box.
By way of keeping the coal constantly agitated and thrown over in passing
through the spiral space in the cylinder, I fix in cach division of the same any
number of shelves or plates; these can be attached to the internal surface of the
cylinder or to the sides of the spiral screw.
I carry out the working of my invention as follows:-
The coal is raised by elevators into the hopper at the bottom of which the
speed of the breakers is so regulated as to allow the proper quantity of coal to
pass through them and fall into the internal feed pipe below whence it is con-
veyed by the revolving shaft and screw into the cylinder. The revolving motion
of this cylinder along with the spiral form of the internal screw assisted by the
shelves or plates keep the coal constantly broken up, turning over and passing
through the spiral space in the cylinder, thus allowing free passage to the cur-
rent of heated air which meets and is compelled to pass through the coal, thus
releasing the moisture which is carried forward and out through the exhauster.
The level of the coal is preferably kept a little above the bottom of the central
tube to absorb the heat of the air in passing through it, and the dried or heated
coal is continuously discharged through the outlet pipe under the large end box.
My invention is therefore designed to economise time, heat, and labour; and
I propose carrying it out substantially as above described.
nated this Tranty conand dox of October 1808

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Drying or Heating Coal, Peat, Grain, or
other Materials.
I, ARTHUR EDWARD NIELD YEADON, Engineer, of 4, Albion Place, Leeds, in
the County of York, 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:―
My invention consists in the use or application of a cylinder revolving hori
zontally on bearing rollers having within it a central tube (or shaft) and between
these a continuous spiral screw, the said cylinder being provided with a suitable
stationary mouthpiece at each end by which arrangement the coal or other
materials can be automatically and continuously delivered into, through, and out
of the spiral space thus formed in the cylinder, whilst at the same time a con-
tinuous current of heated air (or other gases) meets with and regularly passes
through the said coal as it is travelling through the spiral space, for the purpose
of drying or heating the coal.
In the following description I shall use the term Coal" as also including
any materials requiring to be dried or heated.
I preferably make my cylinders parallel with a horizontal central line as shown
in the two accompanying sheets of illustrations, but they can also be made
parallel and sloping.
In the accompanying illustrations, Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of the
drier; Fig. 2, shows the end elevation where the dried coal is discharged; Fig. 3
shows the drier in plan; and Fig. 4 a transverse section with view of the interior.
Inside the cylinder A, and running nearly the whole length of it, I have a
central tube B closed at one or both ends and of a diameter proportionate to the
cylinder. Between the outside circumference of this tube and the internal sur-
face of the cylinder I fix the continuous spiral screw C, C, running the whole
length of the cylinder, both edges of this screw being fitted with angle iron or
other suitable appliance for securely fixing it to the cylinder and tube, and made
airtight. The central tube is thus fixed to and carried by the cylinder.
The feeding end of the cylinder is rounded off as shown at D, and fitted with
a gland and stuffing box through which passes the front part of the double mouth-
piece E, the outside end of which is turned true and smooth as at e to work in
the revolving gland D). This mouthpiece consists of the external pipe one end of
which is open and extending a little way inside the cylinder as shown at F', the
other end being closed but having an outlet on the top or side to connect
to the exhauster.
Inside and passing through this external pipe I fix an internal pipe G (for
feeding in the wet coal) which pipe has its delivery end open and extending a
little beyond the open end of the external pipe into the cylinder as shown at G¹.
The other end of this internal feed pipe passes through the back or closed end of
the external pipe at G2, and is fitted at the top with a hopper mouth H
this end being fitted with airtight gland and stuffing box. Through
these and working inside the feed pipe I have a revolving shaft J driven by any
suitable means outside, having fixed on it a spiral screw (as shown) or adjustable
blades for conveying the coal into the cylinder. Above the hopper mouth I fix
a hopper ox K, inside which revolve, at different speeds, two shafts K fitted
with knives for breaking up and regulating the quantity of coal passing through.
Above this we fix the hopper H of any suitable height so that the head of coal
may prevent inlet of air.
The outlet pipe E¹ is connected with an exhauster to draw the heated air or

page_text: gases through the coal as it passes through the cylinder and thus carry off the
steam or moisture evaporated from the coal.
The opposite end of the cylinder is open as shown at A¹ and revolves in a
stationary closed end-box L which is fitted with air-tight gland L2 inside which
the turned end of the cylinder revolves. At or near the top of this end-box L
I fix an inlet pipe M fitted with suitable valves for regulating the quantity and
temperature of the heated air or gases for drying or heating the coal in its pass-
age through the cylinder.
Under this end-box any suitable arrangement can be fixed for discharging
the dried coal without ingress of air; but I preferably employ as shown, a cir-
cular discharge pipe N in which revolves the shaft S fitted with adjustable blades
as shown; and by keeping this shaft shorter than the end of the discharge pipe
at N2 I ensure the end of this pipe at N³ being tightly filled with the dried coal
which is thus continuously and automatically discharged without any inlet of
air there.
"
On any part of the circumference of the cylinder A are fixed turned bear-
ings aa, preferably of a V shape to secure it from moving endwise; each of
these rings revolves on suitably shaped bearing rollers b, b, underneath, having
boxes d, d, and tightening screws to regulate the height of the cylinder when
working. Also, one or more toothed wheels A2 on the circumference to be driven
by pinions or other suitable means on any driving shaft.
The end of the spiral screw C and the open end of the cylinder at A can be
suitably arranged, if required, to hold back the coal a little, so that by this
means and adjusting the speed of the breaking shafts K, the height or level of
the coal in passing through the cylinder shall always be kept uniformly higher
than the bottom of the central tube as shown at 0 in Fig. 4, thus preventing
the heated air from passing over the surface of the coal instead of through it.
Waste heat from coke kilns or other furnaces can be utilised for the drying
and heating as above; or, the air or gas to be used can be heated by any separate
suitable arrangement of furnace, and connected to the inlet pipe M.
By way of breaking up the coal and keeping it free from clogging as it passes
through the cylinder, I fix in each division of the spiral screw one or more slack
breaking chains as shown at P, P, in Fig. 4, also breaking knives R, R, which
can be fixed to the inside of the cylinder or outside the central tube, or both.
I carry out the working of my invention as follows:-
The wet coal is delivered by elevators R2 into the hopper H the height of
which is regulated so that the "head" of coal is sufficient to prevent inlet of air
through it. As the coal falls into the hopper box K, the speed of the breaking
shafts K regulates the quantity to be passed into the cylinder. The speed of
the shaft J is likewise adjusted so as to pass the coal quickly through the in-
ternal feed pipe G without any clogging, into the interior of the cylinder.
The revolving motion of the cylinder A, along with the continuous spiral form
of the internal screw C, with the help of the slack chains P, P, and the plates or
knives R, R, keep the coal constantly broken up and open, and work it con-
tinuously and regularly forward through the cylinder, thus allowing free passage
to the current of heated air entering at M, which thus meets and is compelled
to pass through the coal, thus releasing the moisture which is carried out at Et
through the exhauster.
The level of the coal in passing through the cylinder is always kept sufficiently
and uniformly above the bottom of the central tube 13 as shown at 0 in Fig. 4,
so as to absorb the heat of the air in passing through it and the dried or heated
coal is continuously discharged through the outlet pipe N at this end N2.
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:
1. The use or application of a revolving, horizontal.cylinder combined with an

page_text: internal central tube and a continuous spiral screw, for the drying or heating of
coal or other materials, substantially as herein described.
2. The use of the above combined with a feed hopper,. regulating breaking rolls,
air tight feed pipe, and internal shaft and feed knives or spiral screw at the feed-
ing end by means of which the wet coal can be continuously and automatically
fed into the cylinder.
3. The use of the above combined with outlet pipe and internal shaft and
knives, or other mechanical arrangement for discharging the dried coal without
inlet of air at the discharge pipe.
Doted this Twente secand day of Il 1800
ARTHUR EDWARD NIELD YEADON.