IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PEAT FOR FUEL." APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PEAT FOR FUEL
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Hinton, of Lyme Regis, in the County
of Dorset, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PEAT FOR FUEL."
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PEAT FOR FUEL.”
Sealed the 30th January 1874, and dated the 15th August 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Hinton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th August 1873.
I, FREDERIC HINTON, of Lyme Regis, in the County of Dorset,
Gentleman, dó hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PEAT FOR FUEL," to
be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in and apparatus for
the manufacture of peat for fuel.
There is great delay and difficulty in straining the raw peat from the
larger fibrous particles, and in drying it and removing moisture from it

page_text: after it has been so strained. I therefore propose to place the raw peat
with a due proportion of water first into a pug mill or mills properly
fitted with internal arms or projections for the purpose of thoroughly
tearing it up and disintegrating the raw peat. From the pug mill it is
conveyed into a tank or cistern, where it is thoroughly mixed with a
suitable proportion of water to reduce it to a proper consistency; from
thence it is conveyed into the sieve or strainer, which I propose to
construct as follows:-The sieve or strainer is an horizontal elongated
cylinder, or of square and angular form, supported at each end by a
shaft passing through its centre or under it horizontally. The sides or
periphery of the sieve throughout its length (except for the upper
quarter thereof) is formed of wirework of sufficient gauge to permit the
finer particles of the peat to pass through, but to retain the larger fibrous
particles. In the bottom of the cylinder. or sieve is a stop or pro-
jection extending from one end to the other. Rollers of wood or metal
are placed on each side of this stop, and are properly fitted with
end projections running in suitable grooves or other means to keep
the rollers in their places. An oscillating or rocking. motion is
given to the, sieve by some motive power as the macerated peat
is poured in, and the stop in the bottom alternately lifts the roller or
rollers, and they then descend by their own weight and force the finer
particles of peat through the sicve or strainer, and thence by suitable
means the peat is conveyed into a tank or receptacle. These sieves and
tanks may be increased in number according to the quantity of fuel to
be manufactured.
From the last-named tank or receptacle, which is provided with
suitable taps and conduits, the peat is passed into a box or press, which
I propose to construct as follows, and which boxes may be increased in
number according to the quantity of fuel to be manufactured :-The
box or press is formed of a square sided box of suitable depth, length,
and width, having two of its opposite sides made with hinges so as to fall
down when required. The sides and bottom of this box are grooved
closely inside with grooves of suitable depth and direction. The inside
is then covered with perforated metal. The box is provided with wheels
of suitable size, and made to run on a tramway, if required. A moveable
bag of canvass or horsehair or other suitable material of the size of the
box inside is placed in the box, which is then filled with the liquid peat
from the tank. The bag is longer than the depth of the box, and the

page_text: mouth being properly cut for the purpose is made to lap over the liquid
peat.
A closely fitting cover, made to slide inside the box, is then
placed on the top, and the box is then run or placed under a screw
press, which screws down the sliding cover, and thus forces out the
water of the liquid peat through the perforated metal and grooves. The
sides of the box are then let down, and the bag containing the pressed
peat removed by trucks on a tramway or otherwise to a suitable place,
where the pressed peat by machinery or otherwise is rolled into sheets
of suitable thickness, and the rollers being provided with cutting pro-
jections cut the peat into any size as may be required at the same time.
The masses thus cut are then placed on hurdles or wickerwork or other
shelves or framework in stacks in sheds in otherwise for the purpose of
being dried, which drying will rapidly take place, and very soon the peat
can be used as fuel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederic Hinton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERIC
HINTON, of Lyme Regis, in the County of Dorset, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Frederic Hinton, Her special license, that
I, the said Frederic Hinton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Frederic Hinton, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 AND APPARATUS FOR THE
Manufacture of Peat for Fuel,” upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: 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 monthis next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederic Hinton, 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 (that is to say) :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating peat and in
apparatus employed therein. For this purpose the raw peat is placed
with, if required, a due proportion of water in a pug mill or mills fitted
with internal projections, by which it is torn up and disintegrated.
From the mill it is passed into a trough or vat, where it is mixed with,
if required, a due proportion of water, and reduced to a proper con-
sistency by means of a macerator constructed as follows:-Some long
square frames, each having a number of parallel rods or wires fixed
across it, are fastened to a shaft horizontally by their lower longest sides.
The upper sides of the frames are kept equidistantly apart. The shaft
is fixed or supported at each end in the centre of the bottom of the
macerating trough, where it works on centres or friction rollers. A
rocking motion is given to the macerator, by which means the peat is
rapidly reduced to a pulp..
From the macerating trough the peat is passed into a vat, and from
thence into a sieve or strainer, which is constructed of an clongated
square form, having the sides and bottom of wirework of suitable gauge
to permit the finer particles of the peat to pass through, and to retain the
coarser fibres. In the bottom of the sieve are rollers. A rocking motion
is given to the sieve, and by this means the rollers pass over the peat,
and force the finer particles through. If the raw peat is of a quality fine
enough to permit it the pug mill and the macerator are not used, but
the raw peat is first passed by means of a roller or rollers through a
coarse fixed sieve to remove from it stones or pieces of wood or other
similar substances, and is then placed in a finer gauged sieve or strainer,
which is in that case fixed instead of rocking, and the roller or rollers

page_text: are passed over the peat either by hand or suitable machinery, and the
finer particles are forced through. For convenience the coarse sieve is
.placed above the fine sieve. The peat thus strained is passed into a vat
or tank, and from thence it is put into a bag of canvas or other suitable
material, which is properly tied up and placed in a box constructed in
the following manner:-The box is of square form; the sides and
bottom inside have closely cut grooves extending their whole length,
which are covered with perforated metal. Two of the sides are
provided with hinges, so as to permit them to fall down when
required.
When the bag of peat is placed in the box a cover made to slide freely
inside is placed on the top, and the bag is then pressed by means of a
screw or other form of press, and by this means a great portion of the
water is quickly forced out. Should the raw peat be of quality fine
enough to permit it, the fine gauged sieve is not used, but the raw peat,
after being first passed through the coarse sieve as before mentioned is
placed in the bag and box and pressed. The peat is then taken out of
the bag and placed upon a long table, which is provided with side
gauges, its whole length thus permitting the peat to be spread on the
table at a uniform depth. A roller having cutting projections on its
surface at suitable distances (and provided with suitable projecting
cheeks or sides, which pass on with it, and thus prevent the peat from
being pressed over the edges of the table) is then by hand or suitable
machinery passed over the peat, which is by this means again pressed
and cut into a number of pieces. The pieces of peat thus cut are then
placed upon wicker hurdles. These hurdles are provided with legs of
suitable height and form, which will permit a number of them to be
placed one over the other, thus forming a stack, and the stack being
formed in a suitable shed the peat soon becomes fit for use.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
claim,-
* 1st. The process of treating peat and manufacturing it into pieces,
substantially as described.
2nd. The application and use in combination of the pug mill,

page_text: 3rd. The adaptation and use of the sieves or strainers, provided with
rollers, as above explained, for the purpose specified.
'
4th. The above described box constructed with grooved sides and
bottom, and the use in conjunction therewith of the bags and press, as
and for the purposes herein set forth and described.
5th. The above described rollers having cutting projections arranged
round them for the purpose of rolling and cutting the prepared peat,
and the use in the manner explained of the hurdles herein-before
described for drying the pieces of peat so prepared and cut.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Hinton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the
` year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.