Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Preparing Coal and the like for Transportation.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Preparing Coal and
the like for Transportation.
I, WALLACE CORODON ANDREWS, of 2 Cortlandt Street in the City of New
York, County of New York, and State of New York, United States of America,
President of the New York Steam Company, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for preparing for transportation through
conduits, coal which is to be mixed in a state of fiue division with water after the
manner of the procedure described in Letters Patent of Great Britain granted me
March 31st 1891 No. 55609.
The object of the present invention is in a ready, cheap, and efficient manner to
reduce coal to a state of fine division, and mix it with water, thus presenting it for
transportation by pumping through pipes or conduits.
With this object in view, the invention resides in the construction and arrange-
ment of breaking, washing, pulverizing, separating, classifying, mixing and
conveying devices as hereinafter set forth.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings rather in the nature
of diagram, in which, the figure represents a vertical sectional view of a plant
constructed in accordance with my invention, the working parts being shown in full
lines.
In these drawings: A represents a platform or floor upon which the substance
to be treated is either dumped or upon which a car, cart, or the like may run.
From the platform A extends a shoot a the lower end of which is over the upper
end of a breaker B. This breaker is preferably of a kind used for crushing stone
or iron ore, and is to break up the coal into the most suitable size for washing, that
is to say, not to a powder, but rather to a granular condition. Motion is imparted
to the moving parts of the breaker through a belt B2 extending from a driving
pulley I.
Arranged adjacent to the breaker and preferably below the same is a jigger or
washer C, by which foreign substances such as slate sulphur or other impurities
are separated from the coal. A pulverizer D is arranged to receive the coal from
the washer or jigger. The pulverizer is of such construction as to reduce the coal
to a fine powder adapting it when mixed with water to be readily forced through
the pipes or conduits to a distance. The jigger and pulverizer are driven respec-
tively by the belts C² and D².
The pulverizer D has an outlet shoot d leading into a revolving screen E set at
an incline and driven by a belt e thus forming a conveyor for the coal, and at the
same time means for separating the finer from the coarser portions of the coal.
Below the screen E is a receptacle E2 into which drops the finely pulverized
coal and that part of the coal which is too large to pass through the meshes of the
screen is carried by the screen and deposited in a receptacle E³. An endless belt-
conveyor F is arranged to carry the powdered coal from the receptacle E³ to the
upper end of a hopper ( into which it is discharged.
A conveyor H passes from the receptacle E to the upper end of a shoot D³
which extends down to the pulverizer D so that the coal which has escaped
reduction to powder from being passed once through the pulverizer is subjected
to another reduction. The conveyors F and H are driven by belts F2 and H*
respectively.
The lower end of the hopper G terminates in a spout G² which empties into a

page_text: cylinder or box G³ arranged below the spout. In the cylinder or box is placed a
screw conveyor g by which the powdered coal from the hopper is conveyed and
discharged into a mixing chamber below the hopper.
Motion is imparted to the screw-conveyor through a stem g² projecting from the
same and carrying at its outer ends a pulley g³ receiving a belt g from a main
driving pulley, I.
The spout G2 is so connected to the hopper G as to be capable of a slight
vibratory movement, as by supporting straps by which the spout is held in proper
position, relating to the hopper G and this shaking motion is imparted to it through
a pin g projecting from the stem g² and a corresponding projection from the
spout, arranged in the path of the rotation of the pin or knocker 9. It will be
seen that by this means, the spout is kept constantly vibrating during the operation
of the apparatus, and clogging of the pulverized coal is prevented.
The mixing of the pulverized coal with water is accomplished in a mixing
chamber placed in a position to receive the discharge from the spout G2. In
this chamber, and preferably near its lower end, is placed an agitator the stem of
which projects upward and is provided with a pulley 2 receiving a belt ³ from the
driving pulley I. The form of the agitator j is such that when motion is imparted
to it the contents of the mixing chamber are constantly thrown upward, insuring
a thorough mixing and preventing the packing of the coal in the bottom of the
mixing chamber.
A pipe K is placed at the upper end of the mixing chamber and through this
pipe is introduced water which is to be mixed with the pulverized coal in proper
proportions.
A pump L of any suitable construction is placed below the mixing chamber and
is in communication with the same, and by this pump the mixture of coal and water
is conveyed to any desired distance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for preparing coal for transportation a pulverizer an inclined
screen a receptacle below the screen for the fine particles a second receptacle at
the end of the screen a hopper for receiving the pulverized coal a conveyor
arranged between the receptacle below the screen and the hopper a conveyor
extending from the receptacle at the end of the screen, and a conduit from the
conveyor to the pulverizer substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for preparing coal for transportation comprising a pulverizer a
hopper for receiving the pulverized material means for conveying the pulverized
substance to the hopper a mixing chamber arranged adjacent to the hopper and a
water inlet entering the mixing chamber substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for preparing coal for transportation comprising a pulverizer
a hopper for receiving the pulverized substance a movable spout attached to the
hopper means for shaking the spout a mixing chamber arranged below the hopper
a water inlet leading to the mixing chamber and an agitator in the mixing chamber
substantially as described.
4. In an apparatus for preparing coal for transportation a pulverizer a hopper
for receiving the pulverized substance a movable spout having a projection a screw-
conveyor arranged adjacent to and communicating with the spout the shaft of the
conveyor being provided with a projection designed to engage the projection from
the spout and a mixing chamber substantially as described.
5. In an apparatus for preparing coal for transportation a breaker whereby the
coal is reduced a washer whereby foreign matter is separated from the coal a
pulverizer an inclined screen connected with the pulverizer a receptacle below the
screen for the fine particles and a second receptacle at the end of the screen for the
coarser particles, a hopper for receiving the pulverized coal a conveyor between
the hopper and the receptacle for receiving the fine particles a conveyor extending

page_text: from the receptacle at the end of the screen and a conduit connecting the conveyor
and the pulverizer substantially as described.
6. In an apparatus for preparing coal for transportation a breaker whereby the
coal is reduced a washer by which foreign matter is separated from the substance a
pulverizer an inclined screen adjacent to the pulverizer a receptacle below the
screen for receiving the fine particles a hopper for receiving the pulverized coal
a conveyor extending from the receptacle below the screen to the hopper a movable
spout attached to the hopper a conveyor arranged below the movable spout the
spout being provided with a projection and the shaft of the conveyor also being
provided with a projection a mixing chamber a water inlet into the mixing chamber
an agitator within the mixing chamber and a pump connected with the mixing
chamber substantially as described.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
London, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.