Iк- PROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING COAL, COKES, AND BREEZES FROM BATS AND OTHER IMPURITIES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS MAY BE APPLIED TO THE SEPARATION OF VARIOUS OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Homfray, of Witley Lodge, Halesowen,
in the County of Worcester, Gentleman, for the Invention of "Iк-
PROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING COAL, COKES, AND BREEZES FROM BATS AND OTHER
IMPURITIES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT
PURPOSE, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS MAY BE
APPLIED TO THE SEPARATION OF VARIOUS OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 1st January 1869, and dated the 20th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Homfray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th July 1868.
I, ALFRED HOMFRAY, of Witley Lodge, Halesowen, in the County of
Worcester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING COAL, COKES. AND BREEZES FROM BATS
AND OTHER IMPURITIES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR
THAT PURPOSE, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS MAY BE
APPLIED TO THE SEPARATION OF VARIOUS OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
I will describe my Invention as applied to the separation of coal from
bats, and as my improvements in effecting the said separation are con-
Paine 81

page_text: ducted by means of my improved machinery or apparatus, I will describe
the said machinery or apparatus in connection with the process of
separating the coal and bats.
I construct an inclined screen or platform, the surface of which is
divided by horizontal divisions, the lower edge of each portion into which
the screen is thus divided is situated somewhat higher than the top edge
of the portion next below it. The said screen is thus made to have a
step-like figure. Between the bottom edge of one step and the top edge
of the next below it an open space is left of sufficient width to let the
bats and other impurities fall through. The coal to be treated is put
on top of the screen, which is set at such an angle that the said coal
descends thereon. The pieces of coal acquire in descending such a
momentum that they are carried on to the top of the second step. The
bats being flat and specifically heavier than the coal there is greater
friction between them and the screen, and on reaching the edge of the
first step they fall through the opening there, and are thus separated
from the coal. At the bottom of the second step I fix a transverse bar,
which arrests the motion of any bats that may not have fallen through
the opening described, and prevents them acquiring sufficient momentum
to carry them over the opening at the bottom of the second step on to
the third step. Any required number of steps with openings between
then may be employed. I afterwards wash the bats and dirt that have
fallen through the openings in the screen in order to separate any coal
that may have also fallen through with them. I pass the mixture of
bats and coal through troughs, to which a stream of water is supplied at
considerable pressure, by preference, by means of a hose. At a certain
distance down the troughs a bar is fixed and a valve is situated above it.
By the action of the water the coal is separated from any bats that may
be mixed with it, the coal being washed down the sluices the heavier
stones and bats remaining above the bar described. The coal and lighter
portions of bat run down more troughs on to a grating or screen con-
structed as follows:-If I want to save all coal of two inches diameter
and upwards I take an ordinary four-inch screen, and between the bars
I fix additional bars which stand above the surface of the other bars, so
that when the flat pieces of coal or bats fall upon the screen they strike
upon the additional bars, balance over, turning upon their edges, and
falling through the screen. I make these screens of any shape now in
ase, revolving or otherwise. If I wish to separate the coal from the bats

page_text: without wetting it I use either or both the screens described, but if there
is no objection to the use of water I employ the hydraulic hose, troughs,
and screens in combination. I also save any metal or ironstone, if
required, that may be in the dirt by putting a bar in the sluice before
mentioned to catch it.
My Invention is applicable to the separation of various mineral and
other substances besides coal and bats, but I believe the nature of my
Invention will be sufficiently understood from the description herein-
before given.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Homfray in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
HOMFRAY, of Witley Lodge, Halesowen, in the County of Worcester,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Alfred Homfray, Her special licence that I,
the said Alfred Homfray, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Alfred Homfray, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING COAL, COKES, AND
BREEZES FROM BATS AND OTHER IMPURITIES, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TJ
BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PJRPOST, WHICH IMPROVEMENIS AND MACHINELY OR
APPARATUS MAY BE APPLIED TO THE SEPARATION OF VARIOUS OTHER SUBSTANCES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Homfray,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal

page_text: Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Homfray, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
Heretofore coal has been separated or sorted from the grosser impurities
in the pit, and when brought to the surface the coal is still further
separated or sorted by being passed over screens, and the waste is thrown
aside forming high mounds containing much coal and ironstone. The
coal which is passed over the screens is only assorted as to size, and
contains bats or pieces of earthy coal which will not burn and which
it is desirable to remove.
This has heretofore been accomplished by
picking them out by hand. In coal districts where the slack will
coke small coal has been separated into different sizes by washing,
but there is no process at present in use of taking the coal as it is mined,
and cleaning or separating it from bats, dirt, or other impurities.
My Invention consists of the improvements and machinery or appara-
tus herein-after described in separating coal, cokes, and breezes from
bats and other impurities and in separating various other substances.
I will describe my Invention as applied to the separation of coal from
bats, and as my improvements in effecting the said separation are conducted
by means of my improved machinery or apparatus, I will describe the
said machinery or apparatus in connection with the process of separating
the coal from bats.
1 construct an inclined screen or platform the surface of which is
divided by horizontal divisions, the lower edge of each portion into which
the screen is thus divided is situated somewhat higher than the top edge
of the portion next below it. The said screen is thus made to have a
step like figure. Between the bottom edge of one step and the top edge
of the next below it, an open space is left of sufficient width to let the
bats and other impurities fall through. The coal to be treated is put on
the top of the screen which is set at such an angle that the said coal
descends thereon; the pieces of coal acquire in descending such a
momentum that they are carried on to the top of the second step.
The bats being flat and specifically heavier than the coal there is greater
friction between them and the screen, and on reaching the edge of the

page_text: first step they fall through the opening there, and are thus separated
from the coal. When the bats approximate in density and size to the
lumps of coal, I prefer to fix at the bottom of the second step a transverse
bar which arrests the motion of any bats that may not have fallen
through the opening described and prevents them acquiring sufficient
momentum to carry them over the opening, at the bottom of the second
step on to the third step. Any required number of steps with openings
between them may be employed. I afterwards wash the bats and dirt
that have fallen through the openings in the screen, in order to separate
any coal that may adhere to or have fallen through with them. I pass
the mixture of bats and coal through troughs to which a stream of water
is supplied at considerable pressure by preference by means of a hose. At
a certain distance down the troughs a bar is fixed and a valve is situated
under it, or a box and valve may be used; by the action of the water the
coal is separated from any bats that may be mixed with it, the coal being
washed down the sluices, the heavier stones and bats remaining above
the bar or in the box described. The coal and lighter portions of bat
run down other troughs into a grating or screen constructed as follows:-
If I want to save all coal of two inches diameter and upwards, I take an
ordinary four inch screen, and between the bars I fix additional bars
which stand above the surface of the other bars, so that when the flat
pieces of coal or bats fall upon the screen they strike upon the additional
bars, balance, overturning upon their edges, and fall through the screen.
I make these screens of any shape now in use, revolving or otherwise. If
I wish to separate the coal from the bats without wetting it I use either
or both the screens described, but if there is no objection to the use of
water I employ the hydraulic hose, troughs, and screens in combination;
I also save any metal or ironstone if required that may be in the dirt
by putting a bar or box in the sluice before-mentioned to catch it.
My Invention is applicable to the separation of various mineral and
other substances besides coal and bats.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure
represents in longitudinal vertical section, and Figure 2 in
plan, machinery or apparatus constructed according to my Invention for
separating coal, coke, and breezes from bats and other impurities without

page_text: the use of water. The same letters indicate the same parts in both
Figures.
The said machinery or apparatus consists of an upper screen or inclined
platform a, and a series of lower platforms b, c, d, e, separated by hori-
zontal divisions or spaces b, c, d. The screen or apparatus has thus
a step like figure; the spaces or openings b', c, d, between the step like
platforms b, c, d, are of sufficient width to permit the bats and other
The screens
impurities to fall through them as herein-after explained.
or platforms may be made of iron or wood or wood covered with iron;
under the upper screen a is a hopper f provided with a door g; the step
or platform has a greater inclination than the steps or platforms c, d, e,
below it. The coal from the pit is tipped on to the screen a, the larger
coal passing down the said screen loading itself into a waggon or
collecting in a heap. The small coal passing through the screen a is
received in the hopper f in which it is retained at pleasure by the door g,
on opening the door g the said small coal falls on to the step or platform b
dropping a few inches from the hopper f on to the said platform b;
from the platform b the coal passes to the platform c, and from the
platform c to the platform d, and from the platform d to the platform e,
the momentum which it acquires in its descent down the platforms
causing it to jump the spaces or openings b', c', d'; but the heavier
particles of bat and dirt being denser move with greater friction on the
platforms, and do not acquire sufficient momentum to jump the said
spaces b', c', d', and consequently fall through the said spaces b', c', d'. As
the velocity of the coal becomes greater as it progresses in its descent, it is
capable of clearing a wider aperture at the lower portion of its path than
at the upper portion, hence the space c' is made wider than the space b¹,
and the space d' wider than the space c'; the wider spaces c', d', permit
larger and flat bats and impurities to pass through them which may be
incapable of passing through the space V. On either of the plat-
forms b, c, d, V-shaped pieces of wood may be placed transversely to
effect the further retardation of the bats or impurities, one of these
transverse pieces is shown at 3 on the platform d; the screened or
The bats,
separated coal passes down the platform e¹ into the waggon h.
slack, ironstone, or other impurity that fall through the openings b¹, c', d',
are carried down an inclined trough i by water, and separated in the
manner herein-after explained. The number of the platforms b, c, d,
and their inclination may be varied to suit the particular nature of the

page_text: coal, cokes, or other substances operated upon; the platforms b, c, d,
may be continuous surfaces, or they may be parallel bars so as to
constitute screens down which the coal slides, and by which it is further
screened.
Figures 3 and 4 represent vertical longitudinal sections of the machinery
which I prefer to employ for separating or screening by water. i, k, is
the trough or channel down which the refuse from the screens of the
apparatus, Figures 1 and 2, passes to be further separated by water. The
water employed for this purpose is either supplied from a reservoir
situated at a suitable level above the trough or channel i, k, or is pumped
by an engine with the required pressure; the said water is conveyed
by the flexible hose to the nozzle or jet m by which it is delivered
with considerable force, as indicated in Figure 3 upon the refuse matter n.
The mechanical force of the jet of water o combined with its solvent
power effects a very complete separation of the coal from adhering
pieces of bat or clay. The slack bats and water descending on the lower
part of the trough are received on the screen p, the larger bats passing
over the said screen p down the incline q into the waggon while the
water and small pieces of coal and bats pass through the screen p into
the box 8. The hose and jet m are under the control of the attendant
who by guiding the jet o can keep the screen p clear; the box & receiving
the slack and small bats through the screen p has a trap or valve t
at its bottom (or side); when the trap t is closed the slack and water
flow down the trough or sluice u, Figure 4, and fall into another
box with a trap wat its bottom. side, or end; the traps t and w of the
boxes s and are opened from time to time to let out any heavy particles
that may have collected therein, the coal and water descending the
channel or sluie into the box are in such a state of agitation that
the coal is brought to the surface and passes over the side x, Figure 4,
down the incline y into the waggon 2. In its passage from the box t
to the waggon 2, it may if necessary be again screened or washed by
similar arrangements to those described and represented. In front and
on the top of the box is another hydraulic hose and nozzle 2 by which
a jet of water 3 is delivered with considerable pressure, and by which
the agitation of the water and coal in the box is augmented, and the
contents of the said box constantly stirred up. In place of the boxes s
and for collecting the large bats and impurities the troughs or channels
may be provided with transverse bars for arresting the said bats and

page_text: impurities while the coal and cokes pass over the said bars. The said
bats and impurities may be removed from time to time by means of
valves situated immediately above the said bars; but I prefer to arrange
the parts for arresting the bats and impurities in the form of boxes as
represented.
Mounds of refuse coal can be removed and washed by the use of my
Invention with very little labour, ironstone and coal are often found near
each other in the same mine, and are so mixed that only that which can
be picked by hand has heretofore been saved, but by the use of my Inven-
tion the said ironstone and coal can be separated and made available
for use.
In washing ironstone when unmixed with coal I use a very powerful
hydraulic force of water through a hose similar to that represented in
order to wash off the adhering clay and to break up the stone where it is
connected by bands or films of clay. I use for this purpose apparatus of
the kind represented in Figures 3 and 4, the ironstone being deposited
in the receiving box and the clay being washed over the top thereof.
Mounds of waste from ironstone mines may also be washed for the
ironstone buried in them, very little labour being required, the hydraulic
jet bringing the mound into the sluices or channels which are placed
below the base of it. Heretofore the ironstone has been unloaded and
piled on the bank exposed to the weather until the clay in a measure
becomes disintegrated. This operation requires three months exposure
and necessitates another sorting and loading with much waste and loss
of small stone. Heretofore coke, breezes, or cinders, or partially burnt
coal from furnaces have been washed in a tub, the lighter particles
floating and being taken out by hand with a riddle. According to
my Invention I remove them from any given place, wash them, and
separate them from refuse, or as to size without touching them except
by water in the manner described with respect to coal. In washing
or screening the substances before described, I use the whole or a
portion only of the apparatus described and represented as is most
applicable.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but I claim as my Invention,-

page_text: Firstly. The improvements herein-before described in separating coal,
cokes, and breezes from bats and other impurities, and in separating
various other substances, that is to say, by causing a mixture of coal,
coke, or breezes with bats or other impurities, or other mixture of
substances having different densities to fall down step like inclines,
whereby the heavier portions are made to fall through openings, while
the lighter portions by the, momentum they acquire are carried over
the said openings and separated from the heavier portions substantially
as described; also the use of a jet or jets of water for the same purpose,
the said jet or jets of water being used substantially as described.
Secondly. The improvements in machinery or apparatus to be used
in separating coal, cokes, and breezes from bats and other impurities,
and in separating various other substances herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to
say, the construction and combination of screens, platforms, and openings
either with or without a washing apparatus, substantially as described
and illustrated.
Thirdly. The improvements in machinery or apparatus to be used in
separating coal, cokes, and breezes from bats and other impurities, and
in separating various other substances herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say, the combination of a channel or channels or sluices with
arresting boxes and a hydraulic jet or jets or current of water, substantially
as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Пomfray, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
ALFRED HOMFRAY. (L.S.)