IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOULDING ARTIFICIAL FUEL AND OTHER GRANULATED PULVERIZED AND PLASTIC MATERIAL
Year: 1884

page_text: 1 EMILE FRANK LOISEAU of 330 Walnut Street, Philadelphia Pennsylvania
United States of America do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOULDING ARTIFICIAL FUEL
AND OTHER GRANULATED PULVERIZED AND PLASTIC MATERIAL "
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to that class of machines in which the granulated
pulverized or plastic material is fed to and between revolving cylinders or
drums having in their surfaces, pockets, which, as the cylinders rotate coincide
or register with each other to form moulds for the material, the improvements
being in the construction of these cylinders, and in the use in the hopper of
a certain filling block and feed regulator whereby the accumulation and chilling of
a mass of the material above the cylinders is prevented and the amount of material
fed to said cylinders readily gauged so as to prevent undue excess.
In an apparatus arranged according to this Invention an endless apron or belt is
propelled by revolving rollers or drums and is located below the moulding and
pressing cylinders or drums so as to receive and carry off the moulded lumps
dropped thereon.
The moulding drums may be cast in one piece, but they are preferably.composed
of four or more cast segments bolted to two or more spider wheels in the same
manner as anthracite coal breakers, so as to form a strong and rigid cylinder or
drum, the segments having projections underneath fitting in recesses in the face of
the spider wheels There are as many sets of drums or sets of segments as there.
are sizes of lumps to be moulded-The moulding drums are of the same diameter
and they are driven by suitable gearing in connection with the driving shaft, so
that their outer surfaces run in contact with each other.
In the surfaces of the drums or of the segments are a series of cavities or recesses
formed preferably by willing, which register with each other as the said drums
revolve and form chambers of spherical, oval, or other form, according to the shape
of the lumps in which the fuel is desired to be brought into market-Before
milling out the moulds the surfaces of the drums are grooved circunferentially or
longitudinally, or both, thus connecting the moulds together by channels or passages.

page_text: which permit the escape from one mould of surplus material into an adjoining
mould and thus prevent injury to the apparatus by the feeding into the moulds of
more material than they can properly compress. The moulds extend in close
proximity to each other in regular rows over the whole length of the drums, the
moulds of every other row being intermediate between the moulds of the adjoining
rows in the nature of the cells of a honeycomb so that very small metallic contact
surfaces on the drums are presented, and almost the entire surface of the moulding
drums is utilized for compressing the material or composition into lumps-At the
ends of the intermediate rows of moulds, near the outer edges of the moulding
drums are smaller cavities milled out for the purpose of avoiding the contact
spaces of solid metal formed at these points, and preventing the entrance of small
portions of the composition between these contact surfaces, and any interference
with the regular working of the drums.
The prepared composition is received and compressed by the moulds and
delivered along an inclined screening chute onto the revolving apron beneath.
In order to facilitate the delivery of the lumps from the moulds, the latter are
made of greater width than depth so that the thickness of the lumps is smaller
than the width of the same.
The delivery hopper has a square bottom opening about as large as the diameter
of the moulding drums and is divided into two compartiments--The hot and plastic
composition is conveyed into the upper compartment from the mixing machine and
it falls along a chute upon a horizontal shaft to which are secured short paddles
placed at opposite angles-A movable bottom sliding on guides placed inside of the
hopper rests upon the chute-When this movable bottom is raised or lowered, the
composition is delivered in larger or smaller quantity into the lower compartment
of the hopper-This movable bottom determines only the level of the material in
the lower part of the hopper, but it does not regulate, the quantity of material to
be delivered between the drums.
The composition is first stirred and brought to a granulated condition in the
upper compartment of the hopper by the short blades of the upper horizontal shaft
and when delivered into the lower compartment of the hopper, it is maintained in
the granulated condition by revolving stirrer blades which are secured to shafts,
the preferable plan being to furnish the blades with screw stems which pass through
the shafts and have nuts by which they are secured-Underneath the revolving
blades and somewhat above the tangential point or point of contact of the moulding
drums a feed regulating device is suspended-This devico is composed of a
stationary block and a movable block-The stationary block is screwed fast inside
or outside of the hopper, and has for its principal object the prevention of an
accumulation of material above the drums and the chilling of the said material
which would tend to interfere with a proper feed to the moulding drums-As the
stationary block is fastened close to the stiring blades no accumulation of material
is possible and the feeding opening below is kept clear The movable block of the
device is guided in a recess in the stationary block and is moved up or down, so as
to regulate the passage of the material to the drums This may be effected by
suspending the movable block by bolts which are threaded at the upper ends and
adapted to nuts forming part of worm wheels geared to worms on a shaft having &
suitable operating crank.
When small lumps are to be made the bladed shaft over the back drum is
removed and an inclined block resting on the stationary block of the feed regulator,
is placed in the hopper in such a way as to muffle the back drum and the material
is then fed on the front drum, which forces the same into the moulds of the
muffled drum. Suitable liners are inserted between the stationary block and its
bearing on the hopper so as to adjust the said block to its lowest point when small
lumps are to be moulded-These liners are withdrawn in order to raise the feed
regulator when larger lumps are to be manufactured-The pedestals of the stirrer
shafts should also be provided with liners in order to raise or lower these shafts
according to the size of the lumps to be moulded.

page_text: The blades of the stirrers are caused to work as close as possible to the top of the
feed regulator in order to prevent accumulation of material at this point.
The hopper is so constructed that it can be raised bodily with all the shafting in
it while a new set of drums is placed in the housings or a new set of segments is
bolted to the spider wheels to change the size of the lumps according to the demand
of the market.
Blocks occupy the spaces between the stirrer blades and the inside of the hopper
so as to prevent accumulation of material outside and beyond the action of the
stirrer blades.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields; London, W.C.,
Agent for the said Emile Frank Loiseau.

page_text: I EMILE FRANK LOISEAU of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States of
America manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOULDING ARTIFICIAL FUEL
AND OTHER Granulated PULVERIZED AND PLASTIC MATERIAL, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My Invention relates to that class of machines in which the granulated pulverized
or plastic material is fed to and between revolving cylinders or drums having in
their surfaces pockets, which, as the cylinders rotate, coincide or register with each
other to form moulds for the material, the improvements being in the construction
of these cylinders, and in the use in the hopper of a certain filling block and feed
regulator whereby the accumulation and chilling of a mass of the material above
the cylinders is prevented, and the amount of material fed to said cylinders readily
gauged so as to prevent undue excess.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side view of my improved moulding apparatus.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same as used for making blocks of large
size;
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the machine when used for making smaller
blocks;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of part of the machine," showing the feed
regulator and one of the means which I employ for adjusting the same;
Figure 5 is a view showing another plan of adjusting the regulator;
Figure 6 is a detached view of the feed regulator on a larger scale;
Figure 7'a section of part of the moulding cylinder;
י
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are detached views of parts of the moulding cylinder; and
Figure 11 is a detached view of one of the mixing blades.
A represents the supporting frame of the machine, and B an endless apron or
belt, which is propelled by revolving rollers or drums c c, and is located below the
moulding and pressing cylinders or drums D, so as to receive and carry off the
moulded lumps dropped thereon.
The moulding drums D may each be cast in one piece, but they are preferably
composed of four or more cast segments D¹ (Figure 7) bolted to two or more spider
wheels D³, in the same manner as anthracite coal breakers, so as to form a strong
and rigid cylinder or drum,. the segments having projections underneath, fitting in
recesses in the face of the spider wheels. There are as many sets of drums or sets
of segments as there are sizes of lumps to be moulded. The moulding drums are
of the same diameter, and they are driven by suitable gearing in connection with
the driving shaft, so that their outer surfaces run in contact with each other.
In the surfaces of the drums or of the segments D₁ are a series of cavities or
recesses a, formed preferably by milling, which register with each other as the said
drums revolve, and form chambers of spherical, oval, or other form, according to the
shape of the lumps in which the fuel is desired to be brought into the market.
Before milling out the moulds the surfaces of the drums are grooved circumferentially
or longitudinally, or both, thus connecting the moulds together by channels or
passages a (Fig 10) which permit the escape from one mould of surplus material
into an adjoining mould and thus prevent injury to the apparatus by the feeding
into the moulds of more material than they can properly compress.
The moulds extend in close proximity to each other in regular rows over the
whole length of the drums the moulds of every other row being intermediate

page_text: between the moulds of tho adjoining rows in the nature of the cells of a honey
comb, so that very small metallic contact surfaces on the drums are presented and
almost the entire surface of the moulding drums is utilized for compressing the
material or composition into lumps. At the ends of the intermediate rows of
moulds, near the outer edges of the moulding drums, are smaller cavities a² (see
Figure 5) milled out for the purpose of avoiding the contact spaces of solid metal
formed at these points, and preventing the entrance of small portions of the
composition between these contact surfaces, and any interference with the regular
working of the drums.
The prepared composition is received and compressed by the moulds and
delivered along an inclined screening chute M onto the revolving apron beneath.
In order to facilitate the delivery of the lumps from the moulds, the latter are.
made of greater width than depth, so that the thickness of the lumps is smaller
than the width of the same.
The hopper E has a square bottom opening about as large as the diameter of the
moulding drums. The said hopper is divided into two compartiments. The hot
and plastic composition is conveyed into the upper compartiment E from the mixing,
machine, and it falls along a chute H¹ upon a horizontal shaft I, to which aro
secured short paddles placed at opposite angles, as shown in Figure 5. A moveable
botton J sliding on guides placed inside of the hopper rests upon the chute H¹.
When this moveable bottom is raised or lowered, the composition is delivered in
larger or smaller quantity into the lower compartment of the hopper. This
moveable bottom determines only the level of the material in the lower part of the
hopper, but it does not regulate the quantity of material to be delivered between
the drums.
The composition is first stirred and brought to a granulated condition in the
upper compartment of the hopper by the short blades of the upper horizontal
shaft I and when delivered into the lower compartment of the hopper it is
maintained in the granulated condition by revolving stirrer blades F which are
secured to the shafts F, the preferable plan being to furnish the blades with screw
stens which pass through the shafts and have nuts d by which they are secured
(see Figure 11.) Underneath the revolving blades and somewhat above the
tangential point, or point of contact of the drums D, a feed regulating device K is
suspended. This device is composed of a stationary block K and a moveable
block K. The stationary block K' is screwed fast inside or outside of the hopper,
and has for its principal object the prevention of an accumulation of material
above the drums and the chilling of the said material which would tend to
interfere with a proper feed to the moulding drums. As this stationary block is
fastened close to the stirring blades, no accumulation of material is possible, and
the feeding opening below is kept clear. The movable block K² of the device is
guided in a recess in the stationary block K', and is moved up or down, so as to
regulate the passage of the material to the drums, either by the means shown in
Figure 5, or those shown in Figure 6. In Figure 5 the block K2 is suspended by
bolts L, which are threaded at the upper ends, and adapted to nuts forming part of
worm wheels ƒ geared to worms g on a shaft h having a suitable operating crank.
When small lumps are to be made the bladed shaft over the back drum is
removed, and an inclined block H' (Figure 3), resting on the stationary block K'
of the feed regulator, is placed in the hopper in such a way as to muffle the back
drum, and the material is then fed on the front drum, which forces the same into
the moulds of the muffled drum. Suitable liners n, n are inserted between tho
block K and its bearing on the hopper, so as to adjust the said block to its lowest
point when small lumps are to be moulded. These liners are withdrawn in order
to raise the feed regulator when larger lumps are to be manufactured. The
pedestals of the shafts F should also be provided with liners, in order to raise or
lower these shafts according to the size of the lumps to be moulded.
The blades F are caused to work as close as possible to the top of the feed
regulator in order to prevent accumulation of material at this point.

page_text: The hopper is so constructed that it can be raised bodily with all the shafting in
it while a new set of drums is placed in the housings, or a new set of segments is
bolted to the spider wheels to change the size of the lumps according to the demand
of the market.
Blocks G (Figures 2 and 3) occupy the spaces between the stirrer blades and the
inside of the hopper, so as to prevent accumulation of material outside and beyond
the action of the stirrer blades.
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
First:-The moulding cylinders or drums having recesses, pockets, or cavities
connected by channels a³, all substantially as herein before described. -
Second: The combination of the hopper, the moulding drums, and the regulator K
occupying the converging space above the two drums as hereinbefore described.
Third The combination of the hopper, the moulding drums, the regulator K
located centrally above the drums, and the stirrer blades F1 working almost in
contact with the regulator as hereinbefore described.
Fourth-The combination of the hopper, the moulding drums, and the
regulator K having an adjustable block K, as herein before described.
Fifth-The combination of the hopper the moulding drums, the stirrer blades F³,
the regulator K, and the filler blocks G, as hereinbefore described.
Duted this SCH
lay of October 100T,
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the said Emile Frank Loiseau. 2