Improvements in the Treatment and Desiccation of Peat.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1992
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment and Desiccation of Peat.
A communication from abroad by JEAN MARIE ANATOLE GÉRARD, of Rue des
Grandes Carrières, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce rapidly and economically, from peat, a
dense homogeneous agglomerated fuel capable of being used with advantage in every
kind of furnace.
It consists essentially in causing a thin layer of peat previously reduced to a
homogeneous paste to circulate slowly between two endless bands of wire gauze
intended to retain it during its entire transit, and to cause it first to traverse
draining and drying apparatus, and then to pass between two absorbent fabrics,
which, under the action of pressure, moderately applied by means of cylinders,
produce, by their contact, an immediate drying of the paste; after which the metal
gauze bands convey the thin layer of dried peat into a stove where the desiccation
and partial carbonisation of the material are brought about. It is then detached
from the gauze cloths by means of metal brushes, mixed with agglomerating
substances and moulded into briquettes in the usual manner.
In this new process, the blocks brought from the turf pit and tipped into a ditch
full of water are raised by means of a chain of buckets and tipped into a horizontal
pug mill, intended to disintegrate them completely, then the substance is reduced
to the condition of a fluid paste in a second vertical pug mill.
This paste diluted with water comes then into purifiers formed of horizontal vats
having divisions forming zig-zag barriers so that heavy foreign substances, such as
sand or clay, fall to the bottom of the vats, whence they can be removed by means
of lateral doors.
The liquid paste coming from the purifiers spreads itself on an endless metal
gauze band travelling on cylinders arranged in a horizontal frame, which is flexible
at one end and, at the other end, is exposed to the action of a cam shaft which
gives the frame and, consequently, the peat circulating on its surface, a series of
shocks intended to assist the drainage of the substance.
On quitting the frame, the thin layer of peat resting on the band is covered by a
second endless wire gauze band and it continues to circulate between these two
bands in all parts of the apparatus.
These two bands pass first round a cylinder against which they are pressed by a
guide roller, which causes a certain amount of liquid to run out, then they pass
over the surface of a second horizontal frame in which a ventilating fan maintains
a sufficient vacuum to cause, by suction, a further expulsion of the water contained
in the peat.
After this drying, the bands enclosing the thin layer of peat pass between two
cloths of felt or other absorbent material. and travel with these latter round three
cylinders, against which the material receives a pressure which causes the extraction
of almost the whole of the water still remaining in it, which is immediately absorbed
by the pieces of felt, so that the layer of peat is appreciably dried at the end of this
operation.
In order to constantly remove, from the felts, the moisture which they have

page_text: absorbed, they are first passed respectively between pressure rollers which extract
the bulk of the water contained in them, then they travel through drying chambers
having zig-zag barriers and into which a strong current of hot air is brought from
a furnace arranged for this purpose in proximity to these drying chambers.
The metal gauze cloths then convey the layer of peat into a drying stove strongly
heated by a furnace placed at its lower part, and in which the cloths circulate
several times horizontally over carrying rollers.
The temperature of this stove, and the time during which the peat remains there,
must be sufficient not only for producing a complete desiccation of the material,
but also for driving off therefrom the gas, or other volatile substances, contained
therein, without, however, completely carbonising it, in order to preserve the tar
which ultimately will serve, firstly, to assist the agglomeration, and then the
combustion of the peat.
On emerging from the stove, the cloths raise the material to a sufficient height,
and then separate over supporting rollers, and the peat adhering to them is removed
by means of revolving brushes and falls into a pipe which brings it into a pug
mill, where it is mixed with agglomerating substances, brought by tubes opening
into the bottom of this apparatus; finally, the paste thus rendered plastic falls
into a suitable compressor which moulds it into briquettes of suitable shape and
dimensions.
It must further be noted that the two cloths, after having been separated from
each other, by the rollers, return respectively to their points of departure, passing
over guide rollers situated, in the one case, on the floor, and, in the other case, in
the upper part of the apparatus.
A simpler modification of the apparatus above described can be also made use of,
which is more particularly applicable when a good quality of peat is operated on,
which does not require a preliminary purification, and when the working is not a
large one.
In this case, the peat is simply shovelled into a hopper, and is at once introduced
in a thin layer between two endless cloths, guided by rollers, the pressure of which
causes a preliminary extraction of the liquid.
The peat contained between the wire gauze bands is then simply submitted to
the pressure of one or more pairs of pressing cylinders, which finish the drying so
far as to allow of its being at once brought in contact with the endless felts with
which it circulates between four cylinders for the purpose of immediately
completing the absorption of the water contained in the material by means of
these cloths.
In this apparatus, the drying stoves for the endless felts are done away with for
the sake of greater simplicity, and they are simply dried by passing between one or
more groups of pressure rollers, respectively.
On leaving the felts, the bands conduct the peat into the desiccating and partially
carbonising stove, and the operation is concluded exactly in the manner previously
described.
It is, of course, understood that the invention is not limited to the precise forms
of apparatus herein described but, on the contrary, any variations may be introduced
which, in practice, may be found to be necessary.
For instance, instead of employing endless cloths, travelling over the whole
extent of the apparatus, several groups of cloths could be made use of, placed side
by side, and between which the material would be seized and conveyed successively;
finally, in certain cases, the placing of the peat in a stove could be dispensed
with, and it could be moulded into briquettes immediately after its passage
between the felts.
Dated this 19th day of March 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment and Desiccation of Peat.
A communication by JEAN MARIE ANATOLE GÉRARD, of Rue des Grandes
Carrières, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to produce rapidly and economically, from peat, a
dense homogeneous agglomerated fuel capable of being used with advantage in
every kind of furnace."
It consists essentially in causing a thin layer of peat previously reduced to a
homogeneous paste to circulate slowly between two endless bands of wire gauze
intended to retain it during its entire transit, and to cause it first to traverse draining
and drying apparatus, and then to pass between two absorbent fabrics, which, under
the action of pressure, moderately applied by means of cylinders, produce, by their
contact, an immediate drying of the paste; after which the metal gauze bands
convey the thin layer of dried peat into a stove where the desiccation and partial
carbonisation of the material are brought about. It is then detached from the
gauze cloths by means of metal brushes, mixed with agglomerating substances and
moulded into briquettes in the usual manner.
In order to allow this invention to be clearly understood, the arrangements
preferably employed for putting it in practice are shown on the accompanying
drawings:
Figure 1 shows the whole apparatus for treating peat completely, in longitudinal
section;
Figure 2 shows a vertical section of a partial view of a simpler arrangement of
the same apparatus.
In this new process, the blocks brought from the turf pit and tipped into a ditch
full of water are raised by means of a chain of buckets A and tipped into a hori-
zontal pug mill B, intended to disintegrate them completely, then the substance is
reduced to the condition of a fluid paste in a second vertical pug mill C.
This paste diluted with water comes then into purifiers D D formed of horizontal
vats having divisions forming zig-zag barriers so that heavy foreign substances,
such as sand or clay, fall to the bottom of the rats, D D, whence they can be
removed by means of lateral doors D'.
The liquid paste coming from the purifiers spreads itself on an endless metal
gauze band F travelling on cylinders arranged in a horizontal frame G, which is
jointed at one end and, at the other end, is exposed to the action of a cam shaft E
which gives the frame and, consequently, the peat circulating on its surface, a series
of shocks intended to assist the drainage of the substance.
On quitting the frame G, the thin layer of peat resting on the band F is covered
by a second endless wire gauze band H and it continues to circulate between these
two bands throughout the whole of the apparatus.
These two bands pass first round a cylinder I against which they are pressed by
a guide roller J, which causes a certain amount of liquid to run out, then they pass
over the surface of a second horizontal frame K in which a ventilating fan maintains
a sufficient vacuum to cause, by suction, a further expulsion of the water contained
in the peat.
After this straining, the bands F and H enclosing the thin layer of peat pass
between two cloths Land M of felt or other absorbent material and travel with
these latter round three cylinders N N N against which the material is pressed,

page_text: which causes the extraction of almost the whole of the water still remaining in it,
which is immediately absorbed by the pieces of felt L and M so that the layer of
peat is appreciably dried at the end of this operation.
In order to constantly remove, from the felts L and M the moisture which they
have absorbed, they are first passed respectively between pressure rollers O
and P P which extract the bulk of the water contained in them, then they travel
through drying chambers R and S having zig-zag barriers and into which a strong
current of hot air is brought from a furnace arranged for this purpose in proximity
to these drying chambers.
The metal gauze cloths F and H then convey the layer of peat into a drying
stove U strongly heated by a furnace placed at its lower part, and in which the
cloths circulate several times horizontally over carrying rollers T.
The temperature of this stove, and the time during which the peat remains there,
must be sufficient not only for producing a complete desiccation of the material,
but also for driving off therefrom the gas, or other volatile substances, contained
therein, without, however, completely carbonising it, in order to preserve the tar
which ultimately will serve, firstly, to assist the agglomeration, and then the com-
bustion of the peat.
On emerging from the stove, the cloths raise the material to a sufficient height,
and then separate over supporting rollers V, and the peat adhering to them is
removed by means of revolving brushes X and falls into a pipe which brings it into
a pug mill Y, where it is mixed with agglomerating substances, brought by tubes Z
opening into the bottom of this apparatus; finally, the paste thus rendered plastic
falls into a suitable compressor W which moulds it into briquettes of suitable shape
and dimensions.
It must further be noted that the two cloths F and H after having been separated
from each other, by the rollers V, return respectively to their points of departure,
passing over guide rollers situated, in the one case, on the floor, and, in the other
case, in the upper part of the apparatus.
A simpler modification of the apparatus above described can be also made use of,
which is more particularly applicable when a good quality of peat is operated on,
which does not require a preliminary purification, and when the working is not a
large one.
In this case, the peat is simply shovelled into a hopper a, Figure 2, and is at
once introduced in a thin layer between two endless cloths b and c, guided by
rollers d d, the pressure of which causes a preliminary extraction of the liquid.
с
The peat contained between the wire gauze bands and c is then simply submitted
to the pressure of one or more pairs of pressing cylinders e, which finish the drying
so far as to allow of its being at once brought in contact with the endless felts f
and g with which it circulates between four cylinders hhhh for the purpose of
immediately completing the absorption of the water contained in the material by
means of these cloths.
In this apparatus, the drying stoves for the endless felts ƒ and g are done away
with for the sake of greater simplicity, and they are simply dried by passing
between one or more groups of pressure rollers i and j respectively.
On leaving the felts, the bands b and c conduct the peat into the desiccating and
partially carbonising stove, and the operation is concluded exactly in the manner
previously described.
It is, of course, understood that the invention is not limited to the precise forms
of apparatus herein described, but, on the contrary, any variations may be intro-
duced which, in practice, may be found to be necessary.
For instance, instead of employing endless cloths, travelling throughout the
whole extent of the apparatus, several groups of cloths could be made use of, placed
side by side, and between which the material would be seized and conveyed
successively finally, in certain cases, the placing of the peat in a stove could be
dispensed with, and it could be moulded into briquettes immediately after its passage
between the felts,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The improved method of continuously treating and desiccating peat, which
consists in depositing the peat as a homogeneous liquid paste between two metallic
bands circulating slowly over rollers for the purposes of conveying it in a thin layer
throughout the entire apparatus, and of bringing it successively first over straining
and draining apparatus, then in contact, under pressure, with absorbent fabrics, and
then finally into a drying and partially carbonising stove; after which the dry peat
is removed from the metallic bands in order to be agglomerated substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown.
2. The improved method of drying peat consisting in bringing it in a thin layer
into contact with endless absorbent webs circulating with it between pressure
rollers, which webs, for the purpose of drying the layer, are kept constantly dry in
the course of their travels by being passed between pressure rollers and strainers
and into drying chambers, fitted with zig-zags throughout which a current of heated
gas is passed, substantially as above described and shown.
3. In apparatus for the treatment and desiccation of peat, and in combination with
metallic bands circulating over rollers, and enclosing the peat in a thin layer:
means for draining and straining the peat and which consist in causing it to circulate
in a thin layer over a vibrating frame, such as G, and over a suction apparatus,
such as K, and between pressure rollers, such as I and J, substantially as
described and shown.
4. In apparatus for the treatment and desiccation of peat and in combination
with movable metallic bands enclosing the peat in a thin layer: a drying arrange-
ment consisting of endless absorbent webs L and M circulating on all parts of the
layer of peat enclosed between the above named metallic bands and passing round
pressure rollers N; the above named absorbent webs being constantly dried during
their transit by means of pressure and straining rollers O and P and drying
chambers fitted with zig-zags, substantially as herein described and shown..
5. An apparatus for the continuous treatment and desiccation of peat, comprising:
disintegrating apparatus such as B; pugging apparatus such as C; endless metallic
bands such as F and H; apparatus, such as G, for draining by means of shocks;
pressure rollers such as I and J ; straining apparatus acting by suction such as K,
endless absorbent webs circulating with the layer of peat between cylinders such
as N
; pressure rollers such as O. and P', and drying chambers such as R and S
fitted with zigzags for the continuous drying of the absorbent webs; a circulating
stove such as U for the partial carbonisation of the dry peat; revolving brushes
such as X for detaching the peat from the movable metallic bands; and finally a
pug mill such as Y and a compressor such as W for agglomerating and moulding the
peat into briquettes; all arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown in Figure 1 on the accompanying drawings.
6. The modified form of apparatus for the treatment and continuous desiccation
of peat comprising a hopper a by means of which the material is introduced between
two endless metallic bands b and c, supported by cylinders dd; straining cylinders e;
endless absorbent webs and circulating in contact with the peat between
cylinders and which are constantly dried by their passage between pressure
rollers and j; the material being capable of being converted into briquettes either
at once or after having been passed into a stove, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of November 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.