Improvements in Machinery for Agglomerating Fuel and other Substances.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Agglomerating Fuel and other
Substances.
I NESTOR FOUQUEMBERG in care of Messrs. E. Bede & Cie. 37 Rue Philippe le
Bon Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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:-
This invention relates to machinery for agglomerating fuel or other substances and
consists in certain improvements hereinafter described and claimed having for their
object to avoid pressure on the plumber blocks and consequent wear thereof, to cause
the alveoli or recesses in the moulding cylinders to always coincide exactly one with
the other whereby seams and unequal or unsymmetrical formation of the balls or
blocks are avoided and generally to form a complete and efficient machine, which shall
be easily transportable in parts, or as a whole.
Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view Fig. 2 an elevation
and Fig. 3 an end elevation of the improved machine.
Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the cylinders and hopper.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the manner of assembling the screws for
simultaneous operation of the two cylinders.
Fig. 7 is a cross section between flanges by which the assembling of the screws is
effected.
The machine comprises two cylinders A A in rolling contact, the faces of these
cylinders are fitted with recesses or alveoli the same being preferably arranged in
spirally crossing or diametrically crossing lines whereby as little space as possible may
be left between them.
The alveoli of one cylinder correspond exactly with those of the other cylinder so
that as the cylinders revolve closed moulds are formed by them the fuel or substance
moulded being compressed into the cavities and therefore taking the forms of the
moulds.
The balls or blocks so formed passing down with the revolving cylinders and falling
out by their own weight.
The cylinders carry the worm wheels B B respectively operated by right and left

page_text: handed screw threads or worms C C carried upon one shaft bearing the fast and loose
pulleys D E.
The shaft carrying the worms C C is placed between two back centres P P so that
the shaft may be adjustably displaced in longitudinal direction. The back centres PP
may also be replaced by rings and binding screws.
Since the two worms C Cact in contrary direction there is no lateral or endwise
pressure on the plumber blocks of the shaft. Since also the wear of the screws is
equal and compensating the alveoli in the cylinders will always retain their relative
position.
Should however the wear of the screws or of the wheels be unequal or should the
alveoli not coincide exactly one with the other from any other cause, a longitudinal
movement of the worm shaft in one or other direction will cause the alveoli to coincide.
It will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 6 that the horizontal displacement
of the worms in the direction of the arrow R for example will turn the two cylinders
in the same direction, that is to say, will cause their surfaces in contact to slide one
upon the other, the half moulds of one cylinder moving upward and the half moulds
of the other cylinder downward so that the alveoli or half moulds on the two cylinders
may be brought again into exact coincidence.
The two worms CC may be separately feathered to their shaft or they may be
assembled in one part by lengthening them to the flanges shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the
latter being bolted together.
In this case only one of the worms need be feathered to the shaft and the flanges
carry a large number at equal distances or otherwise around their circumference of
holes so that the flanges may be set in such manner that the relative position of the
threads of the worm or worms and worm wheel or wheels may be adjusted to a small
fraction of the pitch.
This manner of assembling the two worms serves also therefore as a means for
enabling the wear of the worms and the teeth of the worm wheels to be compensated
without longitudinal displacement of either worm in its entirety on the shaft.
The moulding cylinders may be hollow and heated by means of steam or cooled by
means of water inserted by means of pipes 000 etc. passing through the axes of the
bearings of the cylinders. For agglomerating coal or coal dust and dry pitch for
example the cylinders must be cooled.
The cylinders may be of any desired size according to the number of balls of fuel
or the like to be produced.
The alveoli may be of any rotary form spherical, ellipsoidal or of other like form
but the most usual form is the oblate ellipsoid. It will be understood that each
alveolus is but half of such form two corresponding alveoli forming together the form
or mould desired. The plumber blocks of the cylinder shaft are constructed so that
they may be compensated for wear. The worms dip into two oil boxes N a dome or
cover M of slicet iron covers the worms and worm wheels.
The material to bo agglomerated is placed in the hopper F, this hopper does not
carry any agitators or other mechanism for causing the descent of the material when
the latter is pulverulent but if the material be mealy or apt to clog the hopper is
provided with a horizontal shaft G carrying helicoidal teeth or radial arms causing the
material to be evenly spread across the hopper and also passed down therein. The
shaft G carries a pulley K driven by belt from pulley I on the shaft of one of the
cylinders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
In agglomerating machinery
1. The combination with the cylinders AA of the worm wheels B B and worms CC
for operating said cylinders as set forth.
2. The combination of alveolar cylinders A A worm wheels B B and contrary

page_text: 3. The combination of alveolar cylinders A A worm wheels BB contrary worms CC
having flanges and bolted together substantially as set forth and shaft bearing said
worms one of the worms being feathered to the shaft substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of two alveolar cylinders adapted to be heated or cooled with
pipes OO for passage of heating or cooling fluid substantially as set forth.
5. The machine comprising the improvements set forth and substantially as illustrated
and described.
Dated this 29th day of February 1888.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.