IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN COMPOUND OR CEMENTING MEDIUM THEREFOR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Alfred Barlow of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London,
Patent Agent and Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN COMPOUND
OR CEMENTING MEDIUM THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Doctor
Friedrich F. Ernst Muck, of Bochum, in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 8th April 1879, and dated the 11th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Alfred Barlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1878.
A
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London, Patent Agent
and Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN COMPOUND OR CEMENTING MEDIUM THEREFOR."
communication from abroad by Doctor Friedrich F. Ernst Muck, of Bochum, in
the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to the manu-
facture of artificial fuel, and to a certain compound or cementing medium for the
coal dust or solid carbonaceous matters of which the fuel is made or constituted.
The medium employed in this process for cementing the coal dust for the purpose
of making bricks, blocks, or cakes is the product of the putrefaction of fucus (fuci
being a kind of algae), which is found in great quantities on the coast of the
German Ocean.
The fucus will be collected and placed in tanks, pits, or receptacles, and may be
cut into pieces or not, but in either case it will rapidly grow rotten at a middle
ordinary temperature.
In the first state after laying a sufficient time, the fucus will become covered
with a clammy slime of sufficient tenacity to admit of a drawing out into a thread
and being separated by washing or by other means from that part which is not
completely decomposed. This slime will be ready and may then be employed as a
cement for making coal bricks from coal dust.

page_text: But the process preferred to be employed by the inventor is still more productive.
The fucus which is constantly kept in a humid state is permitted to go over to a
further putrefaction.
After lying from four to six months (if a previous cutting into pieces has taken
place or not), the fucus will be transformed into a homogeneous brown pulp. This
pulp has not the property of being able to be drawn out into a thread like the
above-mentioned slime, and is not claminy in the sense of the word, but possesses
the property of drying up to a horn-like mass, and its application as a cement
for coal bricks is attributable and dependent upon this last quality.
"
The product of the putrifaction which is called by the inventor the "putrified
mass contains in that state as employed by him 19 per cent. of dry substance,
whereof 7.4 per cent. is ashes, and 81 per cent. water.
To produce the artificial fuel 12 parts by weight of fine coal (coal dust) with
5 parts by weight of the "putrified inass" (equal to 3 parts by volume), must be
kneaded together, formed into balls or bricks, and then dryed at an ordinary
temperature. The hardness of these bricks may be compared with a slowly dryed
Portland cement, and is completed at a moderate temperature within eight or ten
days.
•
The bricks when finished have a smooth surface, do not colour, admit but with
difficulty of a scratch with the nail, are so compact that they do not break into
pieces in falling from a height of some yards, and show in a striking manner a
moderately high degree of elasticity (at least when made in form of a ball).
These coal cakes excel those made of glutinous coals which are pressed into hot
moulds, in being much lighter and in burning therefore more easily.
It is nevertheless to be observed that the cakes produced in a humid state and
without pressure as herein-before described will not harden when they are rapidly
dryed, that is to say, when dryed by the application of an artificial heat, but under
such circumstances the cakes will fall into small particles on account of the water
vapour escaping too rapidly.
"
The above adjunction to the "putrified mass may be considered as the
maximum per-centage, although with a smaller quantity of the coal dust there may
still be obtained a very useful product.
The "putrified mass may be delivered to the place of destination for use with a
much smaller quantity of water (than that of 81 per cent. herein-before indicated),
and that quantity of water requisite for mixing it with the fine coal inay be added.
It is to be observed in manufacturing it that the humid mass must not be too wet,
but just moist enough to be free from clamminess.
The coal cakes after having been completely dryed by the air and manufactured
according to the proportion of parts (by weight) herein-before indicated, contain in
100 parts 7.67 per cent. of medium as dry substance. There will be added to the
medium only 0.56 per cent. of ashes.
This process of manufacturing coal cakes does not require any special mechanical
apparatus, and may be if desired carried on in any brick kiln.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter Alfred Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
.April 1879.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London, Patent Agent
and Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
ARTIFICIAL FUEL, AND IN COMPOUND OR CEMENTING MEDIUM THEREFOR." A
communication from abroad by Doctor Friedrich F. Ernst Muck, of Bochum, in
the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to the manu-
facture of artificial fuel, and to a certain compound or cementing medium for the
coal dust or solid carbonaceous matters of which the fuel is made or constituted.
The medium employed in this process for cementing the coal dust for the purpose
of making bricks, blocks, or cakes is the product of the putrefaction of fucus (fuci
being a kind of algae), which is found in great quantities on the coast of the
German Ocean.
The fucus will be collected and placed in tanks, pits, or receptacles, and may be
cut into pieces or not, but in either case it will rapidly grow rotten at a middle
ordinary temperature.
In the first state after laying a sufficient time, the fucus will become covered
with a clammy slime of sufficient tenacity to admit of a drawing out into a thread,
and being separated by washing or by other means from that part which is not
completely decomposed. This slime will be ready and may then be employed as a
coment for making coal bricks from coal dust.
But the process preferred to be employed by the inventor is still more productive.
The fucus which is constantly kept in a humid state is permitted to go over to a
further putrefcation.
After lying from four to six months (if a previous cutting into pieces or not has
taken place), the fucus will be transformed into a homogenous brown pulp. This
pulp has not the property of being able to be drawn out into a thread like the
above-mentioned slime, and is not clammy in the sense of the word, but possesses
the property of drying up to a horn-like mass, and its application as cement for
coal bricks is attributable to and dependent upon this last quality.
The product of the putrefaction which is called by the inventor the "putrefied
nass" contains in that state as employed by him 19 per cent. of dry substance
(whereof 74 per cent. is ashes) and S1 per cent. water.
To produce the artificial fuel 12 parts by weight of fine coal (coal dust) with
5 parts by weight of the "putrefied mass" (equal to 3 parts by volume) must be
kneaded together, formed into balls or bricks and then dryed at an ordinary
temperature.
The hardness of these bricks may be compared with a slowly dryed Portland
cement, and is completed at a moderate temperature within eight or ten days.
The bricks when finished have a smooth surface, do not color, admit but with
difficulty of a scratch with the nail, are so compact that they do not break into
pieces in falling from a height of some yards, and show in a striking manner a
moderately high degree of elasticity (at least when made in the form of a ball.
These coal cakes excel those made of glutinous coals which are pressed into hot
moulds, in being much lighter and in burning therefore more easily. It is never-
theless to be observed that the cakes produced in a humid state and without
pressure as herein-before described will not harden when they are rapidly dryed,
that is to say, when dryed by the application of an artificial heat, but under such
circumstances the cakes will fall into sinall particles on account of the water vapour
escaping too rapidly. The above proportions of substance for addition to the
putrified mass may be considered as the maximum per-centage, although
66
"

page_text: with a smaller quantity of the coal dust there may still be obtained a very useful
product.
"
The "putrified mass may be delivered to the place of destination for use with a
much smaller quantity of water (than that of 81 per cent. herein-before indicated),
and that quantity of water requisite for mixing it with the fine coal may be added.
It is to be observed in manufacturing it that the humid mass must not be too wet,
but just moist enough to be free from clamminess.
The coal cakes after having been completely dried by the air and manufactured
according to the proportion of parts (by weight) herein-before indicated, contain in
100 parts 7.67 per cent. of the cementing medium as dry substance. There will
be added to the medium only 0.56 per cent. of ashes.
This process of manufacturing coal cakes does not require any special mechanical
apparatus, and may be if desired carried on in any "brick yard."
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention I
claim,―
The application of "fucus" in a more or less advanced state of putrefaction as the
cementing medium for cakes or blocks of artificial fuel, and the manufacture of
artificial fuel therewith, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Alfred Barlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.