An Improved Method of and Means for Mixing Clays and other Materials of a similar nature, more especially suitable for Use in the Manufacture of Cement.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Mixing Clays and other
Materials of a similar nature, more especially suitable for Use
in the Manufacture of Cement.
We, WILLIAM PRESTON CAMPBELL-EVERDEN F.S.A.A. of Suffolk House,
Cannon Street, in the City of London and EDWARD PRIME of Barrington, in
the County of Cambridge, Cement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention applies to those manufactures in which it is requisite to mix, more
or less intimately, different classes of clays, and other materials of a similar nature
and applies more particularly to the manufacture of cement. It will be found
particularly useful in cases where all or some of the component clays are found in a
natural deposit (already partly or wholly mixed) and in such proportions as
constitute or nearly constitute a natural cement stone.
The invention therefore consists essentially in intimately mixing clays of different
characteristics and adding during such mixing, besides water, such ingredients as
may be found to be necessary for the production of a high class result.
For the manufacture of cement we obtain the clays or other like materials by
digging them out of the pits or other places where they are found and the lumps
or masses thus obtained are conducted by elevators or other suitable means to fluted
rollers or "crackers" or other suitable devices whereby they are reduced to lumps
of about the size of walnuts or less. The lumps thus produced drop into tanks or
vats, which may be constructed of brick-work or other suitable material, wherein
they are steeped in water until they become soft or pulpy and more or less mixed.
From these tanks or vats the soft or pulpy mass is allowed to pass into a grinding
mill by which it is reduced, while in its wet state, to a very fine comminuted
condition whence it is conducted to a culvert or mixing chamber wherein it is
thoroughly mixed into a perfectly homogeneous mass.
In order to obtain this thorough mixing of the mass we construct the culvert or
mixing chamber in such a manner that as the very fine pulpy mass flows thereinto
it will be caused to perform a continuous circuitous course within the culvert or
chamber by means of a screw-propeller or other suitable device driven in any
convenient manner.
The homogeneous fluid or "milk" thus produced may be removed from said
culvert or mixing chamber by a sludge wheel or circular dredger or by other
suitable means.
Although fresh quantities of water may be added from time to time during the
process as required precaution should be taken not to use more water than is
absolutely necessary to satisfactorily perform the manufacture.
The homogeneous mass after it is withdrawn from the culvert or mixing chamber
is diied, burned and ground in the ordinary manner.
Dated this 28th day of November 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: An Improved Method of and Means for Mixing Clays and other
Materials of a similar nature, more especially suitable for Use
in the Manufacture of Cement.
We, WILLIAM PRESTON CAMPBELL-EVERDEN F.S.A.A. of Suffolk House,
Cannon Street, in the City of London and EDWARD PRIME of Barrington, in
the County of Cambridge, Cement Manufacturer, 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 :-
Our invention relates to those manufactures in which it is requisite to mix, more
or less intimately, different classes of clays, and other materials of a similar nature,
and applies more particularly to the manufacture of cement. It will be found
particularly useful in cases where all or some of the component clays are found in a
natural deposit (already partly or wholly mixed) and in such proportions as
constitute or nearly constitute a natural cement stone.
The invention therefore consists essentially in intimately mixing clays of
different characteristics and adding during such mixing, besides water, such
ingredients as may be found necessary for the production of a high class result.
For the manufacture of cement we obtain the clays or other like materials by
digging them out of the pits or other places where they are found, and the lumps
or masses thus obtained are conducted by elevators or other suitable means to
fluted rollers or "crackers" or other suitable devices whereby they are reduced to
lumps of about the size of walnuts or less. The lumps thus produced drop into
tanks or vats, which may be constructed of brick-work or other suitable material,
wherein they are steeped in water until they become soft or pulpy and more or less
mixed. From these tanks or vats the soft pulpy mass is allowed to pass into a
grinding mill by which it is reduced, while in its wet state, to a very fine comminuted
condition whence it is conducted to a culvert or mixing chamber wherein it is
thoroughly mixed into a homogeneous mass.
This mass after it is withdrawn from the culvert or mixing chamber is dried,
burned and ground in the ordinary manner.
Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates more or less diagram-
matically the means employed for carrying this invention into effect:-
:-
A is an elevator for raising the lumps of clay from the pit whence they are dug
and for delivering them to a machine B furnished with fluted rollers or the like for
breaking up the clays and reducing them to lumps about the size of walnuts or less.
C is a tank or vat constructed of brick work or other suitable material and
containing water into which the small lumps of clay delivered from the machine B
fall. The clay is steeped in the water in this tank until it becomes soft or pulpy
and more or less mixed, and the soft or pulpy mass is then allowed to pass to a
grinding mill D by which it is reduced in its wet state to a very fine comminuted
condition whence it passes into the mixing chamber E. E', E are side channels
communicating at their ends by passages E², E³ with the ends of the chamber E.
Fis a propeller fixed on a shaft F passing through the wall of the chamber E and
rotated by means of a drum or pulley F outside the said chamber.
propeller is rotated it causes the fine pulpy mass to circulate through the chamber E
and side channels E' and thereby to become very thoroughly mixed. Any other
suitable means for circulating the mass may be substituted for the propeller F.
When the
The homogeneous fluid or "milk" produced by this mixing operation is removed
from the mixing chamber by means of a sludge wheel or circular dredger G or by
any other suitable means, and the mass is then dried burned and ground in the

page_text: ordinary manner. The wheel G will of course remain stationary during the mixing
operation.
Fresh quantities of water may be added from time to time during the process as
required, but precaution should be taken not to use more water than is absolutely
necessary to satisfactorily perform the manufacture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The process of mixing clays and other like materials for the manufacture of
cement or for other purposes such process consisting in breaking the constituent
clays or materials into small lumps, then soaking them until they become pulpy,
then grinding the mass, and finally mixing the same by causing it to circulate in a
mixing tank, water and other ingredients being added as required at different stages
of the process, substantially as described.
2. The mixing tank consisting of a main chamber and side passages, in combination
with means for causing the pulp to circulate therein, substantially as described and
for the purpose specified.
3. The apparatus substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawing and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 28th day of September 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.