An Improved Process and Means for the Conversion of Earth or Soil into Fuel.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Means for the Conversion of Earth or
Soil into Fuel.
We, FRIEDRICH KRESSER, of L. 4. 8. Mannheim, in the German Empire, Gentle-
man, and GEORG MONTAG, of L. 5. 4. b. Mannheim, in the German Empire, Mer-
chant, 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: -
The present invention refers to an improved process and means for the con-
version of earth or soil into fuel, the purpose of the invention being to prepare
ordinary earth or soil in such a manner as to render same applicable as fuel in
the shape of briquets. The fuel prepared according to the present invention is
distinguished by combining an extremely large efficiency with cheap production
of the material; the cost of producing the improved fuel being in fact less than
a third of the cost of ordinary coal.
The process for manufacturing our improved fuel consists in intimately mixing
common earth or soil with a material more particularly referred to later on, by
aid of machinery or in any other suitable manner. The material thus produced
is, after having been pressed in the form of briquets and after having been
dried, ready for immediate use.
The material to be added to the common earth or soil is prepared by boiling
pitch or resin and thereupon, after having added a quarter per cent of oil of
any suitable kind for the purpose of rendering the pitch or resin odourless, mixing
the material produced with a sufficient amount of saw dust, or dry earth or soil,
or saw dust mixed with dry earth or soil, to attain a thick-pappy mass which will
finally disintegrate. This hot mass is then spread on plates and agitated or con-
stantly and energetically turned over simultaneously being sprayed or sprinkled
with a 5 per cent sulphuric acid, the amount of sulphuric acid employed corre-
sponding to a half up to one per cent of the mixture or mass to be treated. To
facilitate or promote the intimate mixing of the sulphuric acid with the prepared
material, any sufficient amount of hot water may be added, the pap thus produced
being constantly stirred until the mixture is satisfactorily effected. The resulting
thin-papped material is then mixed with ordinary earth or soil. The amount of
material employed for this purpose varies according to the quantity of the earth
or soil to be treated with it. An addition of 6 per cent of the improved material
will be found sufficient for light earths, whilst in connection with heavy earths
such as clay up to 9 per cent of the material will have to be employed.
The earth or soil is intimately mixed with the prepared material by means of
mixing apparatus or machinery or is in any other suitable manner mixed, pressed,
dried, in fact treated in a manner similar to the products of coal dust.
The ready prepared and dried bricks or pieces are ready for use for heating and
like purposes as fuel without any further manipulation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:.
1) Process for the manufacture of a fuel essentially consisting of earth or soil.
consisting in adding to the disintegrated earth or soil according to its quality 6
to 8 per cent of a material prepared by intimately mixing boiling pitch or resin
with saw dust and earth, or saw dust or earth; the mixture being intimately
stirred; simultaneously adding a half to one per cent of 5 per cent sulphuric acid
and hot water, substantially as set forth.
2) In connection with the process as described, the application of a quarter
per cent of any desired oil as an addition to the boiling pitch or resin to render
the latter odourless, substantially as set forth.
3) As a new article of manufacture the product prepared in the manner de-
scribed resulting in a fuel with high effective power containing 92 to 94 per cent
of ordinary earth or soil, substantially as described.
Jated on day U ᎥᏆ Ꭵ,
B. REICHHOLD),
International Patent Office,
24, Luisen Strasse, Berlin, N.W., Germany,
Agent for the Applicants.