IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING OB COMPRESSING THE SAME AND OTHER PLASTIC SUBSTANCES
Year: 1864

page_text: the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING
OB COMPRESSING THE SAME AND OTHER PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Francois Celestin Armelin of Paris France
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING
OR COMPRESSING THE SAME AND OTHER PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Francois Celestin Armelin of Paris Erance
Sealed the 27th January 1865, and dated the 1st August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st August 1864.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY
FOR MOULDING OR COMPRESSING THE SAME AND OTHER PLASTIC SUBSTANCES," to be
as follows:-
In this Invention the fuel is divided into classes, each possessing a different
heating power according to the use to which the fuel is to be put, viz., 1st,
that suitable for domestic fire-places; 2nd, that for industrial fire-places and
furnaces; and 3rd, that for marine and locomotive uses. The ingredients
which enter into the composition of the fuel are cow dung, coal dust, or dust
from coke, peat, charcoal, or similar material, pitch (brai), resin, and residuum
from palm and petroleum oils.
1st, for domestic uses. For this purpose the mixture is composed of 10
parts of fresh cow dung or dung of other ruminating animals, 90 parts of coal
dust or similar matter. The dung binds the coal dust, and is itself at the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: same time a combustible matter; it is kneaded or mixed with the coal dust,
and forms a paste which is afterwards moulded by the machinery hereafter
described or otherwise. If the dung is dry, it should be brought to its original
condition by being mixed with or immersed in water.
2nd, for industrial uses.-For this purpose the fuel requires a higher con-
centration of heating properties. 1 add to the preceding mixture 40th to oth
(say 2 to 2 parts) of the waste or residue from the purification of petroleum
oil; the whole is then well mixed, and afterwards moulded by the machinery
hereafter described or otherwise. I sometimes substitute for the residue from
petroleum oil an equal quantity of pitch, or resin, or residuum of palm oil, or an
equal part of residue from petroleum oil and of pitch or resin. This addition
of a binding ingredient to the mixture allows of the moulded blocks being
transported from place to place without breaking.
3rd, for marine and locomotive uses.-Fuel for this purpose should possess
the highest heating powers under the smallest possible bulk. I therefore add
to the preceding mixture of dung and coal dust, or similar matter. vegetable
or mineral pitch or resin dissolved hot by soda or potass. This solution is
obtained as follows:-I place in a boiler one part of pitch or resin, part of
soda or potass, and 8 to 10 parts of water. I boil for several minutes and
obtain a solution of pitch or resin. I pour from 1 to 2 parts of this solution
into the preceding mixture of dung and coal, mix them together, and mould.
The dissolving of the pitch by means of soda or potass is facilitated by the
addition of th part of tar. The proportion of dung in the mixture may be
diminished and that of coal dust or similar matter increased; a fuel possessing
greater heating powers and producing more flame when burnt is thus obtained.
The proportions of the various ingredients before mentioned may be varied as
desired. The machinery for moulding or compressing artificial fuel and other
plastic substances is arranged as about to be described. A circular horizontal
platform, toothed on its periphery and formed with two circular rows or sets
of holes which act as mould boxes, is fixed on a vertical axis supported by a
cross bar, it turns periodically in order to present successively each pair of
mould boxes to the action of top and bottom plungers, which compress
the fuel between them. An upright on or forming part of the frame
of the machine guides the top plungers and carries the axis of a pair
of levers for actuating these plungers. The frame or bed of the machine
carries the driving shaft and supports the bearings of an upper shaft.
This upper shaft carries an endless screw, the threads of which are perpen-
dicular to the plane of the axis of the shaft for the greater part and inclined
for the remainder of their extent. The pair of levers for actuating the top

page_text: plungers is connected by links with another pair of levers for actuating the
bottom plungers. Cams on the upper shaft before mentioned act on the
levers to cause the plungers to compress the fuel, other cams on the same
shaft disengage the plungers, and allow the platform to make a portion of a
revolution equal to the distance between two mould boxes. An inclined plane
is fixed to the bed of the machine below the platform for the purpose of raising
again the bottom plungers, which are furnished with vertical rods for forming
a hole through the centre of the compressed block. Motion is transmitted by
toothed gearing from, the driving shaft to the upper shaft carrying the endless
screw and cams. The working of the machine is as follows:-The material
to be moulded or compressed falls from a mixing apparatus or other receptacle
into a hopper over a portion of the platform and fills the holes or mould boxes.
A rake or other tool may be used if necessary to assist in filling the boxes.
The rotary motion imparted to the driving shaft is transmitted by the toothed
gearing to the endless screw. When the platform ought to turn to present
another pair of mould boxes to the plungers, the inclined parts of the threads
of the screw take into the teeth on the periphery of the platform and cause it
to turn; the motion of the platform stops as soon as the perpendicular part of
the screw threads is presented. Then the cams first mentioned commence to
rise in order to lift the links, and consequently the outer ends of the two pairs
of levers which actuate the plungers; this action causes the lowering of the
top and the raising of the bottom plungers, whereby the fuel is compressed from
both above and below. The continued rotation of the upper shaft causes the
other cams before mentioned to lift the top and lower the bottom plungers, and
the inclined threads of the screw again cause the platform to turn to present
two fresh mould boxes filled with material to be moulded to the action of the
plungers as just described. The bottom plungers are again raised during the
turning of the platform by their lower ends coming in contact with the fixed
inclined plane, whereby the moulded blocks are forced out of the mould boxes.
These plungers are afterwards again lowered by coming in contact with another
inclined plane. Each revolution of the upper shaft and screw causes the
moulding of two blocks and the rotation of the platform to an extent equal to
the distance between two mould boxes. By changing the shape of the mould
boxes and plungers, the shape of the moulded blocks may be varied as required.
whether hollow or solid. Although I have described the platform as being
formed with two circular rows of holes or mould boxes, one row or more than
two rows may be formed therein if desired.

page_text: by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August. in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, lid, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that 1, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as 1, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND
IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING OR COMPRISING THE SAME AND OTHER PLASTIC SUB-
STANCES," (communicated to me from abroad by Francois Celestin Armelin,
of Paris, France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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
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 1, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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 Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:
In this Invention the fuel is divided into classes, each possessing a different
heating power according to the use to which the fuel is. to be put, viz., 1st.
that suitable for domestic fire-places; 2nd, that for industrial fire-places and
furnaces and 3rd, that for marine and locomotive uses. The ingredients
which enter into the composition of the fuel are cow dung, coal dust, or dust

page_text: from coke, peat, charcoal, or similar material, pitch (brai), resin, and residuum
from palm and petroleum oils.
1st, for domestic uses. For this purpose the mixture is composed of ten
parts of fresh cow dung or dung of other ruminating animals, ninety parts of
coal dust or similar matter. The dung binds the coal dust, and is itself at
the same time a combustible matter: it is kneaded or mixed with the coal
dust, and forms a paste which is afterwards moulded by the machinery here-
after described or otherwise. If the dung is dry, it should be brought to its
original condition by being mixed with or immersed in water.
2nd. for industrial uses. For this purpose the fuel requires a higher
concentration of heating properties. I add to the preceding mixture 4th to
oth (say 2 to 2½ parts) of the waste or residue from the purification of
petroleum oil the whole is then well mixed, and afterwards moulded by the
machinery hereafter described or otherwise. I sometimes substitute for the
residue from petroleum oil an equal quantity of pitch, or resin, or residuum
of palm oil, or an equal part of residue from petroleum oil and of pitch or
resin. This addition of a binding ingredient to the mixture allows of the
moulded blocks being transported from place to place without breaking.
3rd, for marine and locomotive uses.-Fuel for this purpose should
possess the highest heating powers under the smallest possible bulk. I there-
fore add to the preceding mixture of dung and coal dust, or similar matter,
vegetable or mineral pitch or resin dissolved under heat by soda or potass. This
solution is obtained as follows:-I place in a boiler one part of pitch or resin,
half part of soda or potass, and eight to ten parts of water. I boil for several
minutes and obtain a solution of pitch or resin. I pour from one to two parts
of this solution into the preceding mixture of dung and coal, mix them
together, and mould. The dissolving of the pitch by means of soda or potass
is facilitated by the addition of one-fourth part of tar. The proportion of dung
in the mixture may be diminished and that of coal dust or similar matter
increased; a fuel possessing greater heating powers and producing more flame
when burnt is thus obtained. The proportions of the various ingredients
before mentioned may be varied as desired. The machinery for moulding or
compressing artificial fuel and other plastic substances is arranged as about to
be described.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section, and Figure 2
a horizontal section of a machine for forming the fuel or other substance into
tubular blocks by moulding them two at a time.
A is a circular horizontal platform toothed on its periphery and formed with
two circular rows or sets of holes which act as mould boxes; it is fixed on a

page_text: vertical axis R, supported by a cross bar E; it turns periodically in order to
present successively each pair of mould boxes to the action of top and bottom
plungers K, K', which compress the fuel Q between them. An upright B.
on or forming part of the frame of the machine, guides the top plungers K,
and carries the axis of a pair of levers I, I, for actuating these plungers. The
frame or bed C of the machine carries the driving shaft O, and supports the
bearings D, D, of an upper shaft P. This upper shaft carries an endless screw
F, F, the threads of which are perpendicular to the plane of the axis of the
shaft for the greater part and inclined for the remainder of their extent.
The pair of levers I, I, for actuating the top plungers, is connected by links
L, L, with another pair of levers J, J, for actuating the bottom plungers.
Cams G, G, on the upper shaft before mentioned act on the levers I, I, and
J, J, to cause the plungers K, K', to compress the fuel; other cams H, H, on
the same shaft disengage the plungers K, K', and allow the platform A to
make a portion of a revolution equal to the distance between two mould boxes.
An inclined plane N is fixed to the bed C of the machine below the platform
for the purpose of raising again the bottom plungers K', which are furnished
with vertical rods S, for forming a hole through the centre of the compressed
block. Motion is transmitted by toothed gearing T, U, from the driving
shaft to the upper shaft P, carrying the endless screw and cams; V is the
fly wheel. The working of the machine is as follows:-The material Q to be
moulded or compressed falls from a mixing apparatus or other receptacle X
into a hopper Y, over a portion of the platform A, and fills the holes or mould
boxes; a rake or other tool may be used if necessary to assist in filling the
boxes. The rotary motion imparted to the driving shaft O by pulleys Z, Z,
is transmitted by the toothed gearing T, U, to the endless screw F, F'. When
the platform A ought to turn to present another pair of mould boxes to the
plungers the inclined parts of the threads of the screw take into the teeth
on the periphery of the platform, and cause it to turn; the motion of the plat-
form stops as soon as the perpendicular part of the screw threads is presented.
Then the cams G, G, commence to rise in order to lift the links L, L, and
consequently the outer ends of the two pairs of levers I, J, which actuate the
plungers; this action causes the lowering of the top plungers K and the
raising of the bottom plungers K', whereby the fuel is compressed from both
above and below. The continued rotation of the shaft P causes the other
cams 1, 11, to lift the top plungers K and lower the bottom plungers K', and
the inclined threads F' of the screw again cause the platform A to turn to
present two fresh mould boxes filled with material to be moulded to the action
of the plungers K, K', as just described. The bottom plungers K¹ are again

page_text: raised during the turning of the platform A, by their lower ends coming in
contact with the fixed inclined plane N, whereby the moulded blocks are forced
out of the mould boxes, as represented to the left hand of Figure 1. These
plungers are afterwards again lowered by coming in contact with another
inclined plane. Each revolution of the shaft P and screw F, F1, causes the
moulding of two blocks and the rotation of the platform to an extent equal to
the distance between two mould boxes. By changing the shape of the mould
boxes and plungers, the shape of the moulded blocks may be varied as required,
whether hollow or solid. Although I have described the platform as being
formed with two circular rows of holes or mould boxes, one row or more than
two rows may be formed therein if desired.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the manufacture of artificial fuel substantially in manner and with
the ingredients herein-before described.
Second, the construction of machinery for moulding or compressing
artificial fuel and other plastic substances arranged and acting substantially
as herein-before described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)