IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL BLOCK FUEL AND COKE, AND IN APPARATUS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Henry Warlich, of No. 4, Maze Hill,
Greenwich, in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL BLOCK FUEL AND COKE, AND IN APPARATUS
Sealed the 1st August 1864, and dated the 8th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Henry Warlich
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th June 1864.
I, FERDINAND HENRY WARLICH, of No. 4, Maze Hill, Greenwich, in the
County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL BLOCK FUEL AND COKE, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
artificial block fuel and coke, and in apparatus employed therein, and consists
in the cleansing of all kinds of small and duff coals,by a new process from
their impurities, volatile and solid, and in converting such coal into block fuel
or coke of greater superiority than has hitherto been obtained; also for agglo-
merating with other known materials a material new or not hitherto used in
the manufacture of artificial block fuel. The purifying or cleansing of small
coals from impurities by the different washing processes at present known is
only partially successful, and in many instances, when the coals are in a state

page_text: of dust, called duff coals, the washing process is practically almost useless,
independent of the impossibility of removing the water from large quantities
of coals operated upon without great loss of coals, which in practice is fre-
quently found to amount from 15 to 20 per cent., and leaving the coals still
possessing a large quantity of impurities. In some localities the quantity of
water required for washing a large quantity of coals within a day or two
is unobtainable, and the process is on this account for large operations
impossible.
t
According to my Invention I take the small and duff coals (the smaller the
better) and place them in trucks (provided inside with self-stirring apparatus
acting by the revolving of the wheels of the trucks in connection with the
stirrers), which are run on rails into a heated chamber, tunnel, or retort, and
slowly moved backwards and forwards until all moisture and their compound
volatile impurities are driven off, and thus the coals and solid impurities are
obtained in a dry and divided pulverescent state. The object of the continual
stirring of the coals by the above-named apparatus connected with the trucks is
to prevent bituminous coals for coking when subjected to heat, which allows
the volatile matters to be driven off within a shorter time than has hitherto
been done; also to loosen the solid foreign matters from the coals in a state
of powder, which by the next process are easily separated, leaving the coalin
a pure state, the whole operation being conducted with less manual labor and
expense than has been hitherto practicable. The trucks and their contents
are then removed from the chamber, tunnel, or retort, and the coals thrown or
shot from the trucks into a hopper, through which they descend to an enclosed
apparatus, and are then projected by machinery acting with great force and
velocity towards the other end of the enclosed apparatus aided by a current of
air produced by suction of an exhauster. By the application of these means
the dried coals and impurities separate according to their several specific
gravities, and fall into and through separate compartments into trucks placed
beneath to receive them; the cleaned coals are then removed to the mixing
mill for manipulation into block fuel, and the impurities separated therefrom
may be used with other refuse of coal in the furnaces of the factory. The
coals are removed to the mixing mill and mixed therein with about 10 per
cent. of coal tar or coal tar pitch, more or less (as is well known), and for
some purposes, in addition thereto, with from one to three per cent. of petro-
leum. The whole then descends from the mixing mill into the moulds of
the pressing machine and is removed from it as compressed blocks on to
iron carriages, and these are run into carbonizing retorts similar to those
specified in the expired Patent of Ferdinand Charles. Warlich in 1843, where

page_text: it is left from 6 to 12 hours and upwards subject to the influence of heat
varying from 500 to 800 Fahrenheit, according to the nature of the coals
employed. The small and duff coals to be operated on are first placed in
trucks which are by preference of the following construction:-The body of
the truck is about 6 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep, and is constructed
of iron, and moves on wheels, the axles of which are connected by gear to
spindles fitted with arms or knives revolving within the trucks. The spindles
with their knives or arms are thus caused to revolve amongst the coals by
the motion of the wheels of the trucks, which are moved slowly backwards
and forwards in the chamber, tunnel, or retort until the object before men-
tioned has been obtained. The coals are thereby continually stirred up and
prevented from caking, and are equally acted upon by the heat of the chamber,
tunnel, or retort. The construction of the drying chamber, tunnel, or retort
is built of stone or brickwork, and it is preferred to be such that it will hold
ten trucks. This chamber, tunnel, or retort is heated by flues communicating
the heat from furnaces placed underneath, or by the introduction.of heated air
or steam into the chamber, or conjointly if required. The entrance and exit
of this heating chamber, tunnel, or retort are provided with four sets of
swinging doors, two sets at each end, with an opening in the centre between
the doors for the coupling chains or wire rope to pass through and move freely
to pull the trucks backwards and forwards within the chamber. This back-
ward and forward motion is given by the wire rope passing over revolving
drums, which are at each end, alternately thrown in and out of gear. The
volatile matters escaping from the coals in the heated chamber, tunnel, or
retort are carried away through several openings in the top, and may be
condensed if desirable.
The operation of drying the coals by the above manipulation is as follows:-
The trucks laden with the raw small and duff coals are drawn to the entrance
of the chamber, tunnel, or retort, where the swinging doors open by the
entrance of each truck and close immediately after them. To prevent loss of
heat, there is another pair of swinging doors which are placed so that they
do not open until the truck is within the chamber and the outer swinging
doors are closed. Here the coals are subjected to heat, and by the backward
and forward motion before described the wheels of the trucks revolve, and
consequently set the stirring apparatus within in motion, which stirs sup the
coals, and the volatile impurities are quickly removed or driven off, the coals
and solid impurities remaining in a dry and pulverescent state ready for the
subsequent process. The coals now being in a fit state to be cleansed from
their solid impurities are removed from the drying chamber, tunuel, or retort,

page_text: and are thrown or shot from the trucks into a hopper, whence they descend to
the enclosed apparatus for further treatment. This apparatus consists of a
long narrow chamber constructed either of brickwork, sheet iron, or other
suitable materials. On the top of the front enda hopper communicating with
the interior is placed, from which the coals are received by the projectors or
fans fixed to a wheel and thrown there from with considerable velocity. The
further end of the chamber is provided with any exhausting apparatus most
convenient now ingeneral use. The bottom of the chamber is divided into
several compartments, according to the specific gravities. Beneath the several
compartments trucks are placed to receive the coals and solid impurities
separately.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ferdinand Henry Warlich in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINAND
HENRY WARLICH, of No. 4, Maze Hill, Greenwich, in the County of Kent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Ferdinand Henry Warlich, Her special licence that I, the said
Ferdinand Henry Warlich, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Ferdinand Henry Warlich, my executors, administrators,
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 BLOCK FUEL
AND COKE, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ferdinand Henry Warlich, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument 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,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Ferdinand Henry Warlich, 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 the manufacture of
artificial block fuel and coke, and in apparatus employed therein; and consists
in the cleansing of all kinds of small and duff coals by a new process from
their impurities volatile and solid, and in converting such coal into block fuel
or coke of greater superiority than has hitherto been obtained. The purifying
or cleansing of small coals from their impurities by the different washing
processes at present known is only partially successful, and in many instances
when the coals are in a state of dust, called duff coals, the washing process is
practically almost useless, independent of the impossibility of removing the
water from large quantities of coals operated upon without great loss of the
duff coals, which in practice is frequently found to amount to from 15 to 20 per
cent., and leaving the remaining coals still possessing a large quantity of
impurities. In some localities the quantity of water required for washing a
large quantity of coals within a day or two is unobtainable, and the process is
on this account for large operations impracticable.
***
According to my Invention I take the small and duff coals (the smaller
the better) and place them in trucks (provided inside with self-stirring
apparatus acting by the revolving of the wheels of the trucks in connection
with the stirrers), which are run on rails into a heated chamber, tunnel, or
retort, and slowly moved backwards and forwards until all moisture and their
compound volatile impurities are driven. off, and thus the coals and solid
impurities are obtained in a dry and divided pulverescent state.
The arrangement of the stirrers inside the trucks may also be arranged
in the following manner:-To a spindle running through the length and
down the centre of a truck blades or arms are attached, which as the
spindle revolves they stir up the coals surrounding them. To prevent these
blades or arms from getting clogged with caked coal, blades or arms are also
fixed to the sides of the the truck in such a manner that each blade or arm
attached to the revolving spindle passes between two of the fixed ones attached
to the truck which dislodges any lumps adhering to the others.
The spindle is made to revolve in the following manner:-The spindle of
each truck projects at each end beyond the truck; on one end of the spindle
a socket is attached into which the plain end of the spindle of the next truck
euters as the trucks are pushed up and coupled together; the two spindles
thus united are fastened by a pin or screw. When the spindles of the

page_text: necessary number of trucks are thus connected together motion is given to the
whole by steam power applied at the end or ends of the united spindles
within or without the chamber, tunnel, or retort in a similar manner as to a
driving shaft. The object of the continual stirring of the coals by either of
the above-named apparatus is to prevent bituminous coals from caking when
subjected to heat, and which allows the volatile matters to be driven off within
a shorter time than has hitherto been done; also to loosen the solid im-
purities from the coals in a state of powder, which by the next process are
easily separated, leaving the coal in a pure state, the whole operation being
conducted with less manual labour and expense than has been hitherto
practicable. The trucks and their contents are then removed from the
chamber, tunnel, or retort, and the coals thrown or shot from the trucks into a
hopper through which they descend into a chamber, and are here projected by
machinery (acting with great force and velocity) towards the other end of the
enclosed apparatus or chamber; this projection of the coals may be, but not
necessarily, so aided by a current of air produced by suction of an exhauster.
By the application of these means the dried coals and impurities separate
according to their several specific gravities, and fall into and through separate
compartments into trucks placed to receive them; the cleaned coals are then
removed to the mixing mill for manipulation into block fuel, and the impu-
rities separated therefrom may be used with other refuse of coals in the
furnaces of the factory. The cleaned coals may also be used for making a
superior coke in any suitable coke oven.
The coals when removed to the mixing mill are mixed therein with about
10 per cent. of coal tar, or coal tar pitch, more or less (as is well known), and
for some purposes, in addition thereto, with from one to three per cent. of
petroleum. The whole then descends from the mixing mill into the moulds
of the pressing machine, and is removed from it as compressed blocks on to
iron carriages, and these are run into carbonizing retorts similar to those
specified in the expired Patent of F. C. Warlich, in 1843, where it is left
from 6 to 8 hours and upwards subject to the influence of heat varying from
500° to 600° Fahrenheit according to the nature of the coals employed.
The small and duff coals to be operated on are first placed in trucks fitted
either with stirring apparatus worked by a steam power, as before described, or
of the following construction:-The body of the truck is about 6 feet long,
4 feet wide, and 2 feet 6 inches deep, and is constructed of iron, and moves
on wheels, the axles of which are connected by gear to spindles fitted with
arms or blades revolving within the trucks, or the spindles with arms or blades
may be made to revolve by cog wheels travelling in a rack. The spindles,

page_text: with their arms or blades, are then caused to revolve amongst the coals
by the motion of the wheels of the trucks which are moved slowly back-
wards and forwards in the chamber tunnel or retort until the object before-
mentioned has been obtained. The bituminous coals are thereby continually
stirred up and prevented from caking, and the free burning or dry coals are
partially split, and the solid impurities attached to them are loosened.
The construction of the drying chamber, tunnel, or retort is built of stone or
brickwork; it is preferred to be of such size that it will hold ten trucks. This
chamber, tunnel, or retort is heated by flues communicating the heat from
furnaces placed underneath, or by the introduction of heated air or steam into
the chamber, tunnel, or retort, or conjointly if required. The entrance and
exit of this heating chamber, tunnel, or retort are provided with 4 sets of
swinging doors, 2 sets to each end, with an opening in the centre between the
doors for the coupling chains or wire rope to pass through and move freely to
pull the trucks backwards and forwards within the chamber; this backward
and forward motion is given by the wire rope passing over revolving drums
which areat each end and alternately thrown in and out of gear. The volatile
matters escaping from the coals in the heated chamber, tunnel, or retort are
carried away through several openings in the top, and may be condensed if
desirable.
The operation of drying the coals by the above process is as follows:-
The trucks laden with the raw small and duff coals are drawn to the entrance
of the chamber, tunnel, or retort where the swinging doors open by the
entrance of each truck, and close immediately after them. To prevent loss.
of heat there is another pair of swinging doors which are placed so that
they do not open until the truck is within the chamber and the outer swinging
doors are closed. Here the coals are subjected to heat, and are stirred up by
either of the before-described methods, and the volatile impurities are quickly
removed or driven off, the coals and solid impurities remaining in a dry and
pulverescent state ready for the subsequent process. The coals now being in
a fit state to be cleaned from their solid impurities, are removed from the
drying chamber, tunnel, or retort, and are thrown or shot from the trucks on to
the hopper of the cleaning apparatus, whence they descend into the chamber
for further treatment. This apparatus consists of a long narrow chamber
constructed cither of brickwork, sheet iron, or other suitable materials. On
the top of the front end a hopper communicating with the interior is placed
from which the coals are received by the projectors or fans fixed to a wheel
and thrown therefrom, with considerable force and velocity. The further-end

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure I. is a longitudinal section of a coal-drying truck and self-stirring
apparatus; Figure II. is a transverse section of Figure I., and also a trans-
verse section of the coal-drying chamber; Figure III. is a longitudinal
section of a coal-drying truck and coal-stirring apparatus worked by steam
power; Figure IV. is a transverse section of Figure III.; Figure V is a lon-
gitudinal section of the coal-cleaning apparatus.
A, Figures I. and II., is the coal truck, shewing its internal arrangement;
B, B, B, are the spindles fitted with the arms or blades D, D, D; C, C, are
spindles fitted with similar arms or blades as B, B, B, but these spindles, with
their arms or blades are fixed or stationary, and are intended as cleaners of
the arms or blades of the revolving spindles B, B, B; D1, D¹, are also blades
or arms fixed to the sides of the truck A. E, Figure II., is a cog wheel
attached to the shaft or spindle B, which works into the cog wheel Fattached
to the shaft of the wheel G of the truck. Each of the wheels of the truck
and two of the spindles are fitted with a similar arrangement of cog wheels,
but the cog wheel of the centre spindle of the truck is made to revolve by
working in the cog wheels of the other two spindles worked by the four
wheels of the truck, consequently as the wheels of the truck move and revolve,
the cog wheels of the spindles revolve also. These cog wheels of the spindles
may also be made to work in a rack instead of by cog wheels attached to the
wheels of the truck, or by both.
H, Figures II. and IV., is a tranverse section of the drying chamber;
tunnel, or retort, in which the coals in the trucks are dried; this chamber,
tunnel, or retort, is about 100 feet long, 5 to 5 feet wide, and 5 to 6 feet high.
Openings are left in the brickwork, as the Drawings shew, for carrying off
the vapours. The chamber, tunnel, or retort may be built double the width,
so as to contain a double set of rails, consequently a double number of trucks,
or it may be double the width, and only its length; this double chamber,
tunnel, or retort may be divided by a partition of brickwork or other suitable.

page_text: material. The heating of the chamber, tunnel, or retort by flues from
furnaces placed underneath is conducted in the ordinary manner.
When the coal-drying trucks are at work, the rotation of the spindles fitted
with arms or blades is increased or diminished in speed according to the rate
the trucks are pulled backwards and forwards; the speed has to be regulated
according as the nature of the coals require to be treated, their different
bituminous qualities, and at what temperature they are subjected to. For
instance, when coals which cake easily are to be treated, the rotation of the
spindles with their arms or blades must be quicker than when less and non-
caking coals are subjected to this process, and so on, as experience will shew
and indicate.
To remove the coals from the trucks after the operation of drying them,
the bottom of the truck is so arranged that it will (on the drawing out of a
bolt and releasing the chain which holds it up) open or drop in three parts or
places e, e, e, Figure I., which will precipitate the coals.
A, Figures III, and IV., is another form of coal-drying truck with only
one spindle B running longitudinally through the truck; this spindle B is
fitted with arms or knives C, C, C. D, D, D, Figures III. and IV., are
arms or blades fixed to the sides of the truck A. When the trucks are at
work the shaft of each truck is united to the shaft of the other, as before
described, and the united shafts thus formed into one are made to revolve by
steam power, as in the ordinary manner, with driving shafts. The trucks in
this case remain stationary during the process of drying the coals, and the
gear used for the other form of truck is dispensed with.
A, Figure V., is a coal-cleaning apparatus or chamber about 50 feet long,
12 feet high, and about 4 feet wide. B is the projecting wheel fitted with
the projectors or paddles C, C; D, D, are compartments fitted with sliding
doors at the bottom, E, E, Figure V.; F is the hopper into which the coals
are thrown and afterwards are projected by the wheel B.
Doors are provided on the sides of the chamber A, Figure V., to enable the
workmen to enter therein; the coals so treated are then removed to be made
into coke or manufactured into block fuel, as referred to above.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details herein described; but I do claim, -
First, the preparing coal for being manufactured into coke or artificial block.
fuel by first drying and purifying it from volatile impurities, and then sepa-
rating from it the solid impurities mixed therewith, as herein described.
Second, the constructing apparatus, as herein described, for drying and

page_text: burifying the coal, and also the constructing apparatus, as berein described,
for separating solid impurities from it.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinand Henry. Warlich, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
FERDINAND HENRY WARLICH. (L.S.)