Improvements in Kilns or Apparatus for the Manufacture of Artificial Stones.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Kilns or Apparatus for the Manufacture of
Artificial Stones.
I, WILLIAM BUSCHE, of Nieuport, in the Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of
artificial stones.
In constructing chambers or apparatus for making artificial stone, such as sand-
stone or gravel or other compositions in which lime enters as an agglomerant
element under the action of hot water and water steam under low or high pressure,
the object more especially in view is that relating to the period of cooling and of
hardening the stones after the steaming or scalding of the mixtures, in order to
permit of completing these operations in the desired time and at fixed and uniform
temperatures, in which process the duration of the cooling and the equality of the
temperatures constitute essential conditions for obtaining perfect products as
regards quality. The arrangement herein described realizes this object and effects
at the same time a perfect concentration of the heat during the steaming or
scalding process which is thus rendered more energetic and more economical, so
that the construction advantageously answers to all phases of the manufacture under
really rational conditions.
In fact the products of this kind obtained in apparatus as hitherto used are
generally defective in homogeneity of the texture and give rise to a considerable
proportion of refuse and therefore very important losses; these inconveniences
arising from great loss of heat during the steaming or scalding and from. the
unequal escape of the heating agent during the cooling operation and these
irregularities are due to the permanent contact of outer air with the good heat-
conducting walls of the chambers or spaces of the apparatus. It has been
endeavoured to remedy these inconveniences by constructing the walls (proper) of
bad heat-conducting materials such as for instance masonry built of brick and
cement or with other natural or artificial stone or other refractory material, or
also by covering the walls outwardly with appropriate insulating material, but
this process, although it furthers the steaming or scalding totally compromises the
period for the cooling operation which lasts much too long and impedes the necessary
hardening process of the product.
"
The rational solution of the problem involves thus two essential conditions :
insulation of the heat conducting walls during the steaming or scalding process
and contact of the conducting walls with a refrigerating medium of uniform
temperature during the cooling operation in order to effect this latter in a
predetermined time, that is to say rapidly, in order to obtain the desired degree of
ardening.
This result is obtained to perfection by the improved construction which forms
he subject of this invention and which consists, in principle, in surrounding the
heat conducting walls encasing the compound or product under treatment and the
heating agent which surrounds this product, with a second appropriate corresponding
hamber with ncn conducting walls, so as to produce an interval or free space
between the two chambers, the walls of which are equidistant all over their

page_text: extent, this interval or free space being closed or insulated against the outside
during the steaming or scalding while admitting on the other hand the cooling
agent in circulation, this cooling agent being either air or air suitably
cooled, depending on the duration which it is desired the cooling operation should
have.
This having been explained, it will now be easily understool that chambers of
any form and nature may be constructed, tub shaped, boiler shaped or of any
other suitable shape or capacity having a double insulating envelope or jacket, the
space between the two jackets being controlled by dampers, ventilators, admission
and discharge valves permitting of maintaining, at will, a constant or intermittent
circulation of the refrigerating or cooling medium, or also of permanently
maintaining this latter after each filling of the space between the two jackets or
also permitting of providing a series of chambers, the intermediate spaces of
which communicate with each other and are successively traversed by the
refrigerating medium, admitted to the first chamber so that this medium heated as
it passes along the walls, can, when discharged, be utilized as a heating element
for other adjacent chambers or for heating work shops, or it may be allowed to
escape into the atmosphere.
As in this industry the most advantageous cooling medium is generally atmospheric
air, we will, by way of example, describe a few constructional forms of chambers
of this improved system.
An interior chamber with heat conducting walls is inserted into an exterior
chamber with insulating walls and forming with the walls of the interior chamber
a space for the passage of the cooling medium. In this constructional example
three adjoining compartments are provided. At the bottom of the chamber,
which latter again forms partly a channel, a track is arranged for receiving the
trucks charged with plastic masses or blocks and between the railway an admission
pipe for the hot water or steam, is provided; this pipe is perforated all over its
perimeter in order to permit of a uniform distribution of the said steam or water.
The water of condensation is collected in a suitable channel, whence it is discharged
outside through a syphon. The roof of the exterior chamber is covered with bad heat-
conducting material and its inlet opening is hermetically closed by a door, which
may also be constructed with an intermediate space if found necessary and so
arranged as to communicate with the remaining part of the channel.
During the cooling process the air has access to this latter at the base through
an opening closed by a damper during the steaming or scalding operation. The
cooling medium is thus distributed over the apparatus and surrounds the interior
chamber all over its surfaces and is then discharged at the top through a damper
device which at the same time regulates the draught.
Another constructional form is especially characterised by the construction of
hollow walls made of hydraulic grit or other appropriate cement, while the
remainder of the arrangement is about the same.
The same applies to another modification in which the apparatus is used in
connection with a reservoir or tub with hot water.
It is needless to mention that for the use of vapour under high pressure the
utilization of cylindrical bodies, is preferable, which then receive the shape of
boilers arranged in conformity with the principle set forth, while the general
arrangement remains the same as that of other chambers.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Kilns or Apparatus for the Manufacture of
Artificial Stones.
I, WILLIAM BÜSCHE, of 36 Rue du Marché, Nieuport, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, 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 relates to improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of
artificial stones.
In constructing chambers or apparatus for making artificial store, such as sand
or gravel stones or other compositions in which lime enters as an agglomerant
element under the action of hot water and water steam under low or high pressure,
the object more especially in view is that relating to the period of cooling and of
hardening the stones after the steaming or scalding of the mixtures, in order to
permit of completing these operations in the desired time and at fixed and uniform
temperatures, in which process the duration of the cooling and the equality of the
temperatures constitutes essential conditions for the obtaining of perfect products
as regards quality.
The arrangement herein described realizes this object and effects at the same
time a perfect concentration of the heat during the steaming or scalding process
which is thus rendered more energetic and more economical, so that the construction
advantageously answers to all phases of the manufacture under really rational
conditions.
In fact the products of this kind obtained in apparatus as hitherto used are
generally defective in homogeneity of the texture and give rise to a considerable
proportion of refuse and therefore very, important losses; these inconveniences
arising from great loss of heat during the steaming or scalding and from the
unequal escape of the heating agent during the cooling operation, and these
irregularities are due to the permanent contact of outer air with the good heat-
conducting walls of the chambers or spaces of the apparatus. It has been
endeavoured to remedy these inconveniences by constructing the walls proper of
bad heat-conducting material such as for instance masonry built of brick and
cement or with other natural or artificial stone or other refractory material, or
also by covering the walls outwardly with appropriate insulating material, but
this process, although it furthers the steaming or scalding totally compromises
the period for the cooling operation which lasts much too long and impedes the
necessary hardening process of the product.
The rational solution of the problem involves thus two essential conditions:
insulation of the heat conducting walls during the steaming or scalding and
contact of the conducting walls with a. refrigerating mediumn of uniform
temperature during the cooling operation in order to effect this latter in a
predetermined time, that is to say rapidly, so as to obtain the desired degree of
hardening.
This result is obtained to perfection by the improved construction which forms:
the subject of this invention and which consists, in principle, in surrounding the
heat conducting walls encasing the compound or product under treatment and the:
heating agent which surrounds this product, with a second appropriate corre-
sponding chamber with non-conducting walls, so as to produce an interval or free,
space between the two chambers, the walls of which are equidistant all over their:
extent, this interval or free space being closed or insulated against the outside
during the steaming or scalding process while admitting on the other hand after
such process, the cooling agent in circulation, the cooling agent being either outer:

page_text: air or air suitably cooled depending on the duration which it is desired the cooling
operation should be.
This having been explained it will now be easily understood that chambers of
any form and nature may be constructed, tub-shaped boiler-shaped or of any other
suitable shape or capacity, having a double insulating envelope or jacket, the space
between the two jackets being controlled by dampers, ventilators, admission and
discharge valves permitting of maintaining, at will, a constant or intermittent
circulation of the refrigerating or cooling medium, or also of permanently
maintaining this latter after each filling of space between the two jackets, or also
permitting of providing a series of chambers, the intermediate spaces of which
communicate with each other and are successively traversed by the refrigerating
medium admitted to the first chamber so that this medium heated as it passes
along the walls, can, when discharged, be utilized as a heating element for other
adjacent chambers or for heating work shops, or it may be allowed to escape into
the atmosphere.
As in this industry the most advantageous cooling medium is generally atmospheric
air, we will, by way of example describe a few constructional forms of chambers
of this improved system, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, the
figures of which are hereinafter referred to.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 are a plan, a longitudinal, and a transverse section respectively
of a chamber constructed for the rational process of manufacture. An interior
chamber C with heat conducting walls is inserted into an exterior chamber C¹
with insulating walls and forming with the walls of the interior chamber C space I
for the passage of the cooling medium. In this constructional example we have
represented three adjoining compartments. At the bottom of the chamber, which
latter again forms partly a channel, a track V is arranged for receiving the trucks
charged with plastic masses or blocks and between the rail-way an admission
pipe T for the hot water or steam is provided, this pipe is perforated all over its
perimeter in order to permit of a uniform distribution of the hot water or steam.
The water of condensation is collected in a suitable channel R, whence it is
discharged outside through a syphon s The roof of the exterior chamber is
covered with bad heat-conducting material and its inlet opening is hermetically
closed by a door P, which may also be constructed with an intermediate space if
found necessary and so arranged as to communicate with the remaining part of the
channel.
During the cooling process the air has access to this latter at the base through
an opening K closed by a damper S during the steaming or scalding operation.
The cooling medium is thus distributed in the direction of the arrows and
surrounds the interior chamber C all over its surfaces and is then discharged at
the top through a damper device which at the same time regulates the draught.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 represent a modification, especially characterised by the
construction of hollow walls made of hydraulic grit or other appropriate cement,
while the remainder of the arrangement is about the same.
The same applies to another modification shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, in which
the apparatus is used in connection with a reservoir or tub with hot water. This
suitably shaped reservoir is closed at its top by a convex or bulged cover such as
shown in Figure 9. Upon the bottom of the reservoir are arranged pipes T, T for
the admission of the steam or hot water which gradually rises and impregnates the
mass to be hardened until the same is totally immersed.
Around and below and above the reservoir C the hot and cold air conduits. I
are distributed, which are provided with dampers S S¹ for the admission and
discharge of the air and serving to allow of the contents of the reservoir being
cooled more or less rapidly according to the temperature of the air admitted into
the spaces L around the reservoir; s is the syphon for discharging the water of
condensation.
It is needless to mention that for the use of vapour under high pressure the
utilization of cylindrical bodies, is preferable, which then receive the shape of

page_text: boilers arranged in conformity with the principle set forth and represented as an
example in Figure 10, while the general arrangement remains the same as that of
other chambers.
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 construction of apparatus for the manufacture of artificial stone, the
characteristic feature being the combination of the interior chamber of good heat-
conducting material with an exterior insulating chamber of bad heat-conducting
material in such a manner as to establish an intermediate free space serving to
receive a cooling medium for the rapid and uniform cooling of the products, this
intermediate space forming an appropriate channel and being provided with
admission and draught dampers and in general with all accessory parts corre-
sponding to the work, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented as
an example in the accompanying drawing.
2. The modification consisting in constructing the two combined chambers of
bad heat-conducting material and in this application the constructive modification
according to which thick and hollow walls are used, forming the channels for the
cooling medium.
CUTO
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..