AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR PAVING ROADS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DRAIN PIPES AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Collins Russell, of Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF MATERIALS
FOR PAVING ROADS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DRAIN PIPES
AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 22nd March 1878, and dated the 15th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Collins Russell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January 1878.
JOHN COLLINS RUSSELL, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex.
<< AN
IMPROVED PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR PAVING ROADS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF DRAIN PIPES AND OTHER ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the treatment of peat and spent or
waste tan, for the manufacture of a new or improved product or material for
paving roadways and other places where a hard and enduring surface is required,
for roofing and other purposes; and it also relates to the application of the said
material for making drain pipes, mouldings, cornices, and other ornaments for the
interior of houses, and other articles.
I
In carrying out my Invention, the peat or tan, or both, as the case may be, is
first bruised or shredded and dried in chambers heated by coke fires placed within
the chambers; or heat may be otherwise applied to dry the peat or tan, with which
may
mix a small quantity of sulphur. The peat or tan is then placed in a boiler
or other vessel of suitable strength and capacity closed air-tight, and from which the
air is exhausted by means of an air pump. Gas tar, which may have been previously
boiled or not, is now admitted to the boiler, which is steam jacketted or otherwise
heated. To the peat or tan which has thus been impregnated in vacuo with a
certain amount of gas tar (and with which I may combine a material or materials
of a fibrous nature to give the product more tenacity), I then add some or other or
a combination of the following ingredients or substances, vist., pitch, Stockholm tar,
TD 171

page_text: Trinidad pitch, naphtha, benzole, spirit of turpentine, quicklime, hydraulic lime,
chalk, pozzuolana, well washed or sifted sharp sand, flint glass in fine powder, any
aluminous, calcareous, or silicious minerals or mixtures, common salt, metallic salts,
asbestos, boiled-oil, Portland or hydraulic cement, slag or scoria. The whole mass
is well stirred and heated by superheated steam or otherwise (in vacuo if necessary),
until the materials which are capable of being softened or melted by a low heat
that will not destroy the peat or tan are melted or softened enough to enable the
different materials used to become thoroughly mixed together.
At a convenient moment in the process the mass is removed from the boiler and
passed through a mill or disintegrator, then replaced in the boiler, where it is finally
raised to a considerable heat.
The boiler or vessel in which the peat or tan is treated as above described may
either be mounted to revolve in bearings and have suitable connections with the
tank containing the gas tar and with the air pump, and likewise between the
steam boiler and steam jacket; or it may be stationary and have a longitudinal
shaft provided with stirrers rotated within it, the object in either case being to
keep the contents constantly agitated during the mixing operation.
When used for paving purposes the material is taken from the boiler in its heated
state, and spread over the prepared surface or foundation of the road or other place,
and consolidated by means of hot beaters or pressers; or paving blocks may be
formed of the material.
In making drain pipes and other articles the material in a hot state is transferred
to suitable moulds, or to a drain pipe making machine; and the pipes are made in
the usual way of making earthenware pipes or otherwise.
When blocks are moulded from the material, they may when desirable be
immersed, while hot, from the moulds in a tauk containing a hot solution of salt,
slack lime, and magnesia.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Collins Russell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
July 1878.
JOHN COLLINS RUSSELL, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex.
"AN
IMPROVED PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR PAVING ROADS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF DRAIN PIPES AND OTHER ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to the treatment of peat and spent tan for the manufacture
of an improved product or material suitable for paving roads and other places, and
for roofing and other purposes; and it also relates to the application of the said
material for making drain pipes, mouldings, cornices, and other parts of the
internal decoration of houses, and other articles.
In carrying out my Invention the peat or spent tan (as the case may be) whilst
in a moist condition is first bruised so as to thoroughly disintegrate the peat, or
tear the spent tan and loosen its fibres. The peat or tan is then whilst still moist
spread out preferably in thin layers on shelves in a chamber heated by means of an
open fire of gas coke placed within the chamber.
The heat of the chamber in the case of peat should not exceed 180° F., and in
the case of spent tan 220° F.
The peat or tan if not spread out in thin layers should be occasionally moved or
stirred about, and should be allowed to remain in the said chamber until it is
thoroughly dry, This chamber resembles in its construction the drying chamber
in foundries in which the sand cores are dried, being provided with a pit beneath
opening into the chamber for supplying fresh air, and apertures near the roof for
the escape of vapor.
Other means may be used to dry the peat or tan, but I consider the mode that I
have described the most suitable one. The dried peat or tan, or a mixture of both,
in any proportions, is then placed in a boiler or other closed vessel so constructed
that the air may be exhausted from it by means of an air pump or otherwise, and
that it may be heated externally so as to raise its contents to a temperature of
about 150° F., but not exceeding 180° F.
Care should be taken to prevent the peat or tan, or mixture thereof, from being
carbonised at this stage.
The boiler or other vessel is provided with a manhole furnished with a tight
fitting cover, which is closed when the peat or tan has been placed therein. The
air is then exhausted from the boiler, and consequently from the peat and tan or
mixture, and thereby the fibres of the peat or tan are opened, and it is rendered
much more porous and better suited for the further processes.
per cent. of the
A small proportion of powdered sulphur, say about from 2 to
tar employed as herein-after described, is mixed with the peat or tan.
The sulphur may be added either to the peat or tan in the closed vessel, or mixed
with the tar in tar cauldron herein-after mentioned.
The boiler used by me is provided with a horizontal shaft, to which blades or
spoons are attached, and which, when put in motion, will act as stirrers; or the.
boiler can be made to revolve on its longitudinal axis and have blades fixed
to its sides internally, which will act as stirrers when the boiler is put in
motion.
The journals of the boiler are tubular, and air is exhausted through the one, and
tar introduced through the other, as more fully described hereafter.
The boiler is steam jacketted or heated by a sand bath set above a furnace, or in
any other suitable manner, but care must be taken that flames are not allowed to
come into contact with it, or to cause the contents to become carbonised.
In close proximity to the boiler I employ a cauldron for containing tar, which is
provided with the necessary heating apparatus, and is connected by a pipe provided
with a stop-cock to one journal of the boiler. In the cauldron I place about 900 lbs.

page_text: of gas tar for every 1000 lbs. of peat or tan, or peat and tan treated in the
boiler.
Care should be taken that no more gas tar is used than will suffice for the
saturation of the mixture made with carbonate of lime, as herein-after mentioned.
In cases where powdered sulphur has not been added to the peat or tan in the
boiler as herein-before mentioned, crude sulphur is now added to the tar in the tar
cauldron in the proportion of from 2 to 3 per cent. by weight of sulphur to tar, and
the whole is raised to a temperature of about 250° F.
The use of sulphur, whether when mixed with the peat or tan in the vacuum
boiler, or introduced with the tar, I find very beneficial in the manufacture of my
improved product, as it renders the tar thin and fluid, and greately aids in effecting
the complete mixture of the materials while being treated in the vacuum boiler,
and facilitates the removal of the cooked mixture,
It will sometimes be found advantageous to add 2 per cent, of starch or glucose,
or one of the similar hydrocarbons, at the same time as the sulphur, in order to give
additional facility for the extraction of the mixture when moulded, as herein-after
mentioned.
After the tar or the tar and the starch shall have been added to the vacuum
boiler, its horizontal shaft with its stirrers is set in motion, or rotary motion is
given to the boiler itself, and continued for about 30 minutes.
The temperature of the tar is lowered in flowing from the tar cauldron into the
vacuum boiler, and coming into contact with the peat and tan therein, and it
becomes necessary to again raise the heat until the contents of the boiler are raised
to a temperature of at least 200° F., care being taken that the mixture of tar and
tan or peat is not allowed to become too dry. The manhole is then opened and the
heated mixture of peat or tan and tar is next transferred to an open kneading
trough, which is steam jacketted or similarly heated, and is provided with a
longitudinal shaft furnished with blades so set as to knead the ingredients as they
are successively placed in the trough, and gradually move the whole mass from one
end of the trough to the other, and back again, when the motion of the shaft is
reversed, or the mixture, made as herein-after mentioned, may be expelled from the
trough at one end and again placed in at the other.
The kneading operation is continued until the whole mass is rendered thoroughly
homogeneous. Above this trough is placed a vibrating sieve, in which carbonate of
lime and slag are placed successively, and from which they are distributed gradually
and evenly over the mass in the trough; in some cases sand is added.
When it is intended to manufacture a paving material, the ingredients are added
in the following order and proportions for the above named quantity of peat or tan
and tar, that is to say, I add carbonate of lime in fine powder, dry and warm, about
530 lbs.; this is kneaded with the peat or tan and tar for about 15 minutes, then I
add granulated blast furnace or puddle slag about 1500 lbs., dry and heated to about
100° F., and the kneading is continued for about 15 minutes; then 20 lbs. of linseed
oil, which has been previously gently boiled for 2 hours with 2 per cent. by weight
of quicklime, should be added, and further kneading continued for 15 minutes. I
then add about 600 lbs. of clean coarse sand, dry and heated to about 100° F., and
continue the kneading by the action of the stirring shaft for about 20 minutes.
The kneaded mass is then taken from the trough and passed between rollers, or
through a grinding mill. It is afterwards again placed in the kneading trough, and
about 125 lbs. of gas pitch melted with 25 lbs. of stearine pitch with about 3 lbs. of
gas tar are added in a fluid state, and then an additional quantity of about 200 lbs.
of carbonate of lime should be well kneaded with the other ingredients, then an
additional quantity of about 300 lbs. of granulated slag, and 300 lbs. of coarse sand
should be added, and the whole mixture is thoroughly kneaded for at least 30
minutes, or until it is rendered thoroughly homogeneous; the temperature should
meanwhile be gradually raised to 270° F., or to a sufficient heat to cause the pitch
and tar to run freely and permeate the mass.
The mixture of the gas tar (or an equivalent liquefying agent) with the gas pitch

page_text: and stearine pitch is necessary, in order that the necessary fluidity may be obtained
without raising the temperature of the pitch too high. This composition, treated as
above, which I call No.. 1, is, when ready to be taken from the kneading trough,
filled into moulds of any shape, which must be hot. It should then be subjected to
hydraulic pressure equal to, say, 2 tons on the square inch, or it may be spread
upon the surface intended to be paved, or covered and rammed with hot
rammers.
In moulding blocks for paving I find it advisable to protect the blocks in the
following manner:-Tarred felt cut to shape and size of the mould is laid on the
bottom thereof; the mould is then filled with the above-described composition, and
another piece of felt is laid on the top, and the whole subjected to pressure, the felt
when the block is cold and hard remaining adhering to the sides of the block, and
serving when laid with the felt covered sides vertical as a protection against the
chipping of the edges of the block.
Instead of felt, thin sheets of wood may be used for the same purpose. The
blocks, after remaining some seconds under pressure, are raised out of the moulds,
and are either stacked and allowed to cool and harden, or before being stacked, they
may, in order to give them antiseptic qualities, be caused to absorb a quantity of
sulphurous anhydride by being exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur; or when
the blocks are pressed without the tarred felt or sheets of wood, they are whilst hot
placed in a solution of 500 lbs. sea salt, 300 lbs. slack lime, and 300 lbs. of a salt of
magnesia in 300 gallons of boiling water; the temperature of this solution when
used should not exceed that of the blocks to be immersed in it.
When a more elastic or tough material is required for paving purposes, I vary
the ingredients and their relative proportions as follows, the process being other-
wise the same as above described:-For 1000 lbs. peat or tan (the latter ground
finer than in the former case) treated in the drying chamber as before, I use 1000 lbs.
gas tar with the addition of the same per centage of sulphur as before described,
and also if desired of starch or other similar hydrocarbon. The mixture is treated
or cooked in the vacuum boiler, and then removed to the kneading trough, where I
add about 500 lbs. carbonate of lime in fine powder, and about 500 lbs. of fine
screened granulated slag, and afterwards 10 lbs. of linseed oil with from 2 to 3 per
cent. by weight of quicklime which has been previously gently boiled two hours,
the kneading of the mass being effected as above described. The mass is then taken
from the trough and ground as before, and afterwards placed in the trough with about
200 lbs. of gas pitch melted with 50 lbs. of stearine pitch, with the addition of
a little, say 5 lbs. gas tar, added in this order and heated as before, then an
additional quantity of about 375 lbs. of carbonate of lime should be well kneaded
with the other ingredients, then an additional quantity of about 250 lbs. of
granulated slag should be added, and the whole mixture is kneaded for about
30 minutes, the temperature being raised to 270° F. as before; no sand is used in
this case.
This I call my improved composition No. 2.
To make a composition suitable for the foundation or substratum of roads or
other surfaces to be paved as a substitute for concrete, I use for 1000 lbs. of peat or
tan (or peat and tan) dried as before, 1200 lbs. of gas tar which are treated as above
described in a vacuum boiler and tar cauldron respectively, and mixed with 2000 lbs.
carbonate of lime ground fine, and 2000 lbs. of clean coarse sand. The mass is
removed from the trough, ground, and replaced as before, and 400 lbs. gas pitch
melted with 100 lbs. of stearine pitch, and 10 lbs. of gas tar, is added in this order,
kneaded and heated for 2 hours to a temperature not exceeding 200° F. This com-
position, which I call No. 3, is spread on the ground and rammed with hot rammers
to form a substratum of the requisite thickness (in ordinary cases 4 inches being
sufficient), and upon it may be laid the composition prepared as previously described,
or blocks made of such composition.
To make a tough elastic material suitable for roofing purposes, drain pipes,
mouldings, cornices, and other ornaments for the interior of houses, which I call
composition No. 4, the ingredients and proportions are as follows:-1000 lbs.

page_text: peat or tan (the latter being ground finer than when the material is to be used for
paving purposes) treated in the drying chamber as before, 250 lbs. of gas tar, 3 per
cent. of crude sulphur, and if preferred 2 per cent. of starch or other similar hydro-
carbon, 300 lbs. carbonate of lime in fine powder, 100 lbs. of any cheap kind of
marine glue, and 10 lbs. of linseed oil which has been previously gently boiled with
3 per cent. of quicklime. The whole mass is kneaded as before, removed from the
trough, ground, replaced in the trough as before, and then 375 lbs. of gas pitch
melted with 125 lbs. stearine pitch, with 5 lbs. of gas tar are added, and then an
additional quantity of about 200 lbs. of carbonate of lime should be well kneaded
with the other ingredients, then an additional 100 lbs. of marine glue, the whole to
be kneaded for at least 4 hours, the temperature not exceeding 270° F.
Another proportion of ingredients to produce a material which I call composition
No. 5, suitable for the same purposes as the last, is as follows:-1000 lbs. peat
prepared and treated in the drying chamber as in the previous cases, 1000 lbs. gas
tar with the addition of the same per centage of sulphur, and if desired of starch or
other similar hydrocarbon, 600 lbs. carbonate of lime, 20 lbs. of linseed oil which has
been previously gently boiled with 2 to 3 per cent. of quicklime, 800 lbs. of fine
screened slag. The whole mass is kneaded as before, removed from the trough,
ground, replaced in the trough as before, and then are added 175 lbs. of gas pitch
melted with 25 lbs. of stearine pitch with the addition of 3 lbs. of gas tar; then an
additional 200 lbs. of carbonate of lime should be well kneaded with the other
ingredients, and then an additional 400 lbs. of fine screened slag, the whole to be
kneaded for at least one hour at a temperature not exceeding 200° F.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I would observe that I am aware that various attempts have been made to
employ peat and tan, and combinations of peat and tan with various other
substances, for the manufacture of compositions proposed to be used for paving and
other purposes, but so far as I am aware all such attempts have failed, owing to the
want of properly mixing proper proportions, and properly treating the ingredients
at the various stages; and I make no claim generally to the use of the separate
ingredients, but what I claim as my Invention, to be protected by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The manufacture of the several compositions herein-before described, and
numbered respectively compositions No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5, and their
use respectively for the purposes mentioned.
2nd. The process of treating the respective ingredients and combining the same
so as respectively to form the several compositions No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, and
No. 5, substantially as herein-before described.
3rd. The use of the vacuum boiler into which tar and sulphur are introduced
and combined with other ingredients, in the manner and for the purposes sub-
stantially as described..
4th. The manufacture of paving blocks made of the compositions herein-before
mentioned, combined or faced with felt or wood, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Collins Russell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TARKT 2
142ARY+