Improvements in Machinery for Depriving Coal, Slack, and other Materials of Surplus Moisture.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Machinery for Depriving Coal, Slack, and other
Materials of Surplus Moisture.
I, JOHN HENRY DARBY, of Brymbo, near Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method of separating the surplus water adhering to
small coal, slack and the like, and to an apparatus therefor.
The process consists in submitting the slack or other material to the action of
a centrifugal and so impeding the automatic escape from the centrifugal that
practically every particle of the slack must be exposed to the full centrifugal
force before it escapes from the centrifugal cylinder, the apparatus being so
arranged that all that is required is to occasionally replenish the hopper and
to cart away the material as it falls from the spout of the machine.
The
In carrying out my invention I form a perforated conical drum fixed on a
horizontal or inclined axis and caused to revolve rapidly within a casing. The
slack or other material is fed into a hopper, through the bottom of which the
shaft of the centrifugal drum passes, and on this shaft is a screw thread which
works the material forward into the drum. On this same shaft I place a series
(in my experimental apparatus four in number) of discs the inner one having a
short conical drum attached to it. The main conical drum has on its outer
extremity a flange preventing the water from creeping up and escaping over the
outer edge of the drum. Below this flange is the exit of water from the casing.
Beyond the end of the drum a second casing is arranged with a hopper and
spout at the bottom. The slack or other material creeping along the inside of
the cone is discharged into this second casing and escapes down the spout.
action is as follows:-The helix prevents arching or stoppage and feeds the slack
at a regular rate into the machine. The distance between the inside of the drum
and the discs being comparatively small the material is thrown by the revolving
drum against the discs and striking them approximately at right angles is deflected
back on to the casing, it is then thrown against the next and again deflected back
on to the casing and so on until it reaches the extremity. The slack however in
immediate contact with the drum and which is exposed therefore to the full
action of the machine escapes this action of the discs, the discs preventing the
slack from leaving the machine until it has passed along the perforated gauze
and thus parted with its water. Through this action a much greater load can he
passed with safety through the machine, and thus its capacity or efficiency is
increased, clogging is prevented and only the slack exposed to the full effect
of the machine is passed rapidly through, that slack which is on the inside, and
consequently not so thoroughly exposed, taking much longer to travel through.
The slack leaves the chamber dry, as the water which would otherwise have a
tendency to creep up the drum is cast off by the flange into the exit spout.
Dated the 3rd day of March 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Depriving Coal, Slack, and other
Materials of Surplus Moisture.
I, JOHN HENRY DARBY, of Brymbo, near Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh,
Metallurgical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to apparatus for separating the surplus water adhering
to small coal, slack, and the like.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawing, showing a section of
my apparatus.
In this A is the inlet hopper for moist slack, B shaft passing through same,
Ca worm on shaft B drawing the slack into the whizzer; 1) a conical wrought
iron cone formed of one-quarter inch plates suitably stayed with three or more
studs E attached to a collar F on shaft B. On this collar too a wrought iron
disc G is fixed projecting as shown to near the periphery of the cone D, but
allowing sufficient space for the slack to pass. H is a similar disc. In the
drawing there are only two, but in some cases I may have three or four. I is
a further set of supporting studs, J an angle iron, and K another collar on the
shaft B. These two are connected by the studs I. L is a conical ring fitting
against the cone D. Between ring Land cone 1 and the projecting ends of the
studs and the angle iron J perforated sheets M are fixed. These perforated
sheets are further supported at intervals with bars N. O is an outside conical
stationary cover and P the end stationary cover. Q outlet for water and R outlet
for dried slack. As the outlet R is liable to be choked up, I place a shaft S
driven by pulley T passing through this outlet with beaters Û U thereon. These
continually revolving keep the outlet open.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The slack or other material is fed into the inlet A and is passed by the worm C
into the revolving cone D M and comes in contact successively with the discs G, H.
It is thrown by the revolving drum or cone 1) against these discs and striking
them approximately at right angles is disintegrated or pulverised and so rendered
suitable for coking without further grinding the slack. It is further deflected
back on to the casing, is then thrown against the next disc and again deflected
back on to the casing and so on until it reaches the extremity at angle iron J.
Angle iron J besides acting as a skeleton on which to fix the perforated sheets
also sheds off any water which would have a tendency to creep up the outside of
the perforated sheets and enter the space W. It throws the water off into the
outlet Q. It will thus be seen that in exact proportion as the layers of slack
are distant from the perforated plates they are impeded in their travel and so for
a longer time are exposed to the centrifugal action, whereas the slack which
can easily get rid of its water is exposed for a shorter time to the centrifugal
action. A machine made on this principle and from which the drawings have
been taken has been at work for some time at the Broughton Solvay Coke Ovens.
It is run at approximately 430 revolutions per minute and treats eight tons of
slack an hour entering with about 18% of water and leaving with about 6%
to 8%. Although I have described the actual apparatus I do not bind myself to
this exact arrangement as it is obvious that the shaft B can be horizontal, inclined,
or even vertical, as the slack will in any case creep up the sloping sides. In
practice however a horizontal or slightly inclined shaft appears the most
efficacious.

page_text: It is possible that a part of the slack immediately adjoining the perforated
sheets M is sufficiently dried and rapidly passes away into the space W, and
exit without coming in contact with the discs G and H, while the slack further
away from the perforated sheets comes successively into contact with the said
discs. Whether this is so or not is not certain, but it has been proved by sizing
the slack before it enters the whizzer, and again after it leaves, that as a whole
it is very much pulverized and rendered suitable for coking.
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:
1. The improvement in machinery for depriving coal, slack and other materials
of surplus moisture consisting of a perforated cone revolving at a high speed in
a casing in combination with a series of impeding discs which allow the layer of
slack close to the perforated cone to pass off easily while impeding the motion
of the slack further from the perforated sheets of the cone substantially as
described.
2. In a machine for drying slack substantially as described in Claim 1 the
combination with the perforated cone of a hopper and feeding helix substantially
as described and illustrated.
3. In a machine substantially as described in Claim 1, the ring J for throwing
off the water which would otherwise creep into the outlet for the dried materials.
4. In a centrifugal drying machine for slack and other like goods, the com-
bination of a drum or cone having the first portion into which the material is
fed impervious and the following portion pervious, the two compartments being
separated in large measure by means of a disc such as G substantially as
described.
5. The general arrangement and construction of machinery for depriving coal,
slack and other materials of surplus moisture substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.