IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR MIXING, PRESSING, AND MOULDING COAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES FOR THE FORMATION OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL AND DIVIDING THE SAME INTO BLOCKS, SUCH APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by David Barker at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his l'etition, on the 18th July 1866
I, DAVID BARKER, of Northfleet, in the County of Kent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
APPARATUS FOR MIXING, PRESSING, AND MOULDING COAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
FOR THE FORMATION OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL AND DIVIDING THE SAME INTO BLOCKS,
SUCH APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS," to be
as follows.
The
This Invention chiefly consists in the combination of a vertical pug mill
with other mechanism, whereby coal and other substances employed for the
manufacture of artificial fuel can be thoroughly mixed and incorporated and
afterwards pressed and moulded and divided into blocks of suitable size
pug mill consists of a vertical cylinder, in the centre of which is mounted a
shaft provided with a series of knives or blades arranged at convenient
distances from cach other. Below the cylinder and extending on cach side of
and beyond the same is placed a tube of rectangular section, such tube being
constructed of cast on or of any other suitable material, and of equal or
nearly equal width with the interior of the cylinder which opens into the tube.
To the lower end of the shaft a circular disc is attached eccentrically, so as to

page_text: revolve therewith, as herein-after mentioned. The disc is placed in the
interior of a rectangular box of cast iron or other suitable material, such box
fitting the interior of the horizontal tube, but free to move therein At the
upper part of the cylinder are placed two hoppers, by means of which the coal
or other materials of which the fuel is to be formed, and the mucilago or
other combining substance or substances are respectively introduced Upon
the central shaft being caused to revolve (which is effected by means of whiccls
and gearing actuated by any suitable motive power, as well understood) the
materials introduced through the hoppers descend through the cylinder and
are subjected to the action of the knives or blades, and having been thereby
thoroughly mixed and incorporated pass into the before-mentioned horizontal
tube. By the action of the eccentrical disc the rectangular box in which tho
same is contained is alternately moved backwards and forwards, so as to push
the combined materials through the tubo towards its respective extremities,
the entrance of such materials into the respective portions of the tube being
alternately permitted and prevented by the motion of the box
At any
desired distance from the respective ends of the tube are arranged knives or
other analogous cutting or dividing contrivances working through the upper
side of the tube, the same being caused to rise and fall alternately at any
desired intervals by means of jointed levers connected with and actuated by
the driving gear of the machine, as already well known and understood. The
fuel is thus first mixed in the plug mill, and having been pressed and moulded
in the tube by the pressure and action of the moveable box, as before
mentioned, is finally divided into blocks of any desired size
Although this apparatus is especially applicable to the manufacture of
artificial fuel, yet it may be used with great advantage for the mixing and
preparation of various plastic materials The whole apparatus may be fixed
or secured to a bed or foundation in any suitable and convenient manner If
desired the pug mill may be dispensed with, and the coal or other materials
introduced into the tube by any convenient means, the box and eccentric disc
before described being actuated by a rotating shaft driven by any suitable
mechanism and motive power. It may also be mentioned that the box and
eccentric may be actuated from below instead of from above the tube, as before
described