IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPRESSING OR SOLIDIFYING FUEL
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BUCKWELL, of the Artificial Granite Works, Battersea, in the County of Surrey,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of January
(One thousand eight hundred and fifty), in the thirteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Buckwell, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William
Buckwell, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Buckwell, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and
in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPRESSING OR SOLIDIFYING FUEL;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William Buckwell, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Buckwell, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists of a new method of condensing, solidifying, and com-
pressing coke, coal, or other material ordinarily used as or applicable for fuel,
by subjecting it to percussion in moulds, and so converting it into dense or
solid blocks, easily portable, and admitting of convenient stowage; and the
mode or process which I have adopted for producing this effect is the fol-
lowing: Taking for example, as the fuel to be compressed or solidified, coke
in a crushed, granular, or fractured state, and mixed with a small quantity of
liquid, I cause it to be fed or fall in this state into a massive cast-iron mould
lined with wrought-iron case-hardened, firmly fixed and well supported, the
inner surface of the mould being of the form and dimensions of the intended
blocks; in this mould a ram works. I use and prefer for this purpose a steam
hammer, but other means of obtaining the requisite percussion may be used.
In making hexagonal blocks (which is the shape I prefer) of about fifty square
inches transverse section, I have used such a hammer of about three tons
weight, capable of acting through a space of four feet, and working at the rate
of about fifty blows per minute. As the mould is fed with the fuel, the ram or
hammer strikes and beats it in the mould, and thus compresses or solidifies it;
and the best effect I find to be produced by feeding in small quantities at a
time between successive blows of the ram. The block so formed is then to be
removed from the mould; but as in practice I found it expedient not to do
this immediately, but to suffer the block to rest for a short time in the mould,
I have for this purpose adopted the following method, which I prefer and
recommend as advantageous. I make the mould of double the depth required
for the formation of a block. Supposing one block to have been formed, the
next blow, as herein-after explained, will carry it forward into the lower part
of the mould, a plate of iron fitting the mould being introduced so as to
separate this block from the next, which will now be made in the upper part of
the mould, as before described. The block at the lower part of the mould is
then to be driven out, and the upper block to take its place, which is effected
thus:-The plate under the lower of the two blocks in the mould is supported
by a prop inserted into a cylinder filled with steam, the prop moving in the
cylinder as a piston. This prop, whilst a block is being formed, remains
bolted or fixed; but when a block has been formed, the prop is to be unfixed,
and it will descend into the cylinder by the succeeding blow of the hammer, so
as to release the lower block of fuel from the mould, which is then to be

page_text: removed, the upper block taking its place. The steam in the cylinder will
thus bring the prop back into its place under a plate in the mould, where it is
again to be bolted or fixed, and the process repeated. In the first instance,
and before any block of fuel has been formed in the mould, it will, of course,
be necessary to place in the lower part of the mould, under the plate of iron
before mentioned, for separating the successive blocks of fuel, a block of wood
or other material capable of bearing the blows, which being driven out after
the first block of fuel has been formed, may then be laid aside; but it is
desirable to use it when finishing work, so as to leave such block in the mould
in preference to a block of fuel. I subject the blocks, when formed, to the
action of a dry atmosphere in a room or chamber, at a temperature somewhat
higher than the outer air; but this is not essential, the action of the outer
atmosphere in fine weather being sufficient to produce the same effect, though
in a longer time, varying, of course, according to the condition of the
atmosphere.
As respects the quantity of liquid to be applied to coke or other fuel before
subjecting it to the blows of a ram or hammer when in a mould, I would state
that it is impossible to specify any exact proportion, because coke or other fuel
itself varies as to its state of dryness according to circumstances, and particu-
larly according to the condition of the atmosphere. It may be, and sometimes
is, found to be sufficiently damp by exposure to and absorption from the atmo
sphere, without the addition of any liquid, but in ordinary cases it will be
necessary to mix with it a small quantity of water or matter in a fluid state.
If the coke or other fuel, when subjected to the ram, be not sufficiently damp,
a dust will arise, and the solidification will not be complete; if, on the other
band, it be too much loaded with liquid, the excess will shew itself on the
surface of the block, and in this case again the effect of the impact will be less
perfect. A workman will very soon be able to judge with sufficient accuracy
of the proper condition from the mere feel of the materials. If bituminous
matter, such as tar or other matter in a liquid state, be used in combination
with the fuel to be compressed, the water will be omitted or proportionately
diminished.
Ilaving thus stated the manner in which the operation may be effected, as
applied to coke, I would remark, that I have merely selected coke as the
material by way of example, and because I think the Invention may be very
usefully applied in practice to coke alone. But the same process may be
applied to mixtures of coke and coal, also to coal and to mixtures of different
sorts of coal, and to other materials which may be used as fuel.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of

page_text: performing the same, I would have it understood that what 1 claim is the
compressing or solidifying fuel in moulds by percussion.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Buckwell, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand oight hundred and fifty.
KICHARDS, Extra.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Williamı Buckwell came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirteenth day of March in the vo
oor of our Lord On