Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Fuel.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COME LEIE DIECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JoH, LUNDSTRÖM & Co., of Stockholm, in the
Kingdom of Sweden, Merchants.]
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Fuel.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 has for its object to utilize the great quantities of small coal created
by the breaking of anthracite, by transforming the same into blocks of fuel which are
adapted for use in gratos, stoves and other fire places.
In carrying the invention into practice, the small coal is mixed with an adhesive
material of the composition hereinafter described so as to form a plastic mass, to which
is added a salt solution of such a nature, that the mass will quickly consolidate, after
which the mass is pressed through rollers provided with recosses corresponding to the
shape of the finished blocks.
This adhesive material is prepared by mixing pulverized anthracite coal, peat saw-
dust, or other suitable combustible in the proportion of say 1 hectolitre of the said
combustible with say 8 litres of a solution of silicate of soda of about 1'4 sp. gr.
to form a plastic and adhesive mass, which is then mixed carefully with the small
anthracite coal which is to form the mass of the fuel in the proportion of about
0.5 hectolitre of the adhesive paste to about one hectolitre of coal more or less
according to the size of the coal and the pressure to which it is to be subjected after
which the mixture is moistened with a solution of common salt and 5% - 50%
chloride of calcium, which hastens the consolidation of the mass. In lieu of the
said salt solution any other solution contributing to the rapid consolidation of the
mass in the air may be used. The ratio of the chloride of calcium in the solution
should correspond to the degree of hardness required to be imparted to the mass.
This is then pressed into suitable forms such as balls, cakes, or bars and dried if
necessary after which it is ready for use. The mass may also be moulded by pressing
it through rollers having recesses on their surfaces, corresponding to the shape of the
finished blocks. The small coal together with the adhesive substance in this case is
placed into a receptacle provided with a stirring device, for instance a screw, and at
the bottom with a mouthpiece through which the mass mixed together is pressed ont
between a pair of rollers running in front of it and provided on their circumference
with recesses corresponding to the shape of the blocks. The coal mass before being
pressed between the rollers, is mixed with the salt solution which is introduced
through a pipe opening into the mouthpiece and communicating with a receptacle
containing the said solution. The blocks thus pressed drop down from the rollers
having now the requisite hardness for being handled. If necessary they may however
he submitted to a drying process in order to be still more consolidated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to he performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :--
The production of blocks of fuel consisting of small anthracite coal mixed with a
plastic adhesive mass of finer coal or coal dust, peat, sawdust or other fine.
pulverized combustible material and a solution of silicate of soda, to which wixture i-
added a solution of common salt and chloride of calcium or other matter contributing

page_text: to the rapi consolidation of the mass which is finally moulded into blocks of any
suitable shape.
Dated this 8th day of September 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.