IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PEAT AND TURF FOR THE PRODUCTION OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS, PAVING BLOCKS, SANITARY PIPES, ARMOUR PLATES OB SLABS, CABINET WORK, AND FOR STRUCTURAL PURPOSES.”
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Wilkinson, of 53, Paddington Street,
Mary le Bone, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PEAT AND TURF FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
RAILWAY SLEEPERS, PAVING BLOCKS, SANITARY PIPES, ARMOUR PLATES
OB SLABS, CABINET WORK, AND FOR STRUCTURAL PURPOSES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Wilkinson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1881.
ALEXANDER WILKINSON, of 53, Paddington Street, Mary le Bone, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer. "IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PEAT AND TURF
THE PRODUCTION OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS, PAVING BLOCKS, SANITARY
PIPES, ARMOUR PLATES OR SLABS, CABINET WORK, AND FOR STRUCTURAL
PURPOSES."
FOR
The object of this Invention is an improved method of treating peat and turf for
the production of railway sleepers, paving blocks, sanitary pipes, armour plates or
slabs, cabinet work, and for structural purposes, and consists in subjecting peat and
turf to hydraulic pressure in moulds after having been amalgamated with coal tar,
green oil, Stockholm tar, bitumen, naptha, petroleum, ground slate, sand, or a
silicate or other body in combination with or without indiarubber, gutta percha, or
other product which would give a slight elasticity and flexibility.
Wood sawdust may in some cases be added. The moulding is effected while the
mass is in a heated state. For some purposes some of the ingredients may be
dispensed with.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd April 1882.
ss
ALEXANDER WILKINSON, of 53, Paddington Street, Marylebone, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer. IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PEAT AND TURF
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS, PAVING BLOCKS, SANITARY
PIPES, ARMOUR PLATES OR SLABS, CABINET WORK, AND FOR STRUCTURAL
PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is an improved method of treating peat and turf for
the production of railway sleepers, paving blocks, sanitary pipes, armour plates or
slabs, cabinet work, and for structural purposes, and consists in subjecting peat and
turf to hydraulic pressure in moulds after having been amalgamated with coal tar,
green oil, Stockholm tar, bitumen, naptha, petroleum, ground slate, sand, or a
silicate or other body in combination with or without india rubber, gutta percba,
or other product which would give a slight elasticity and flexibility; wood sawdust
may in some cases be added.
The moulding is effected while the mass is in a heated state. For some purpose
some of the ingredients may be dispensed with.
The way I carry the first part of my Invention into effect is as follows:-For
the production of railway sleepers I take one hundred weight of dried peat in a
ground state, and add twenty eight pounds in weight of bituminous matter, and
four pounds in weight of green oil, together with two pounds of creosote, this mass
is thoroughly mixed and stirred together under the influence of heat. In a short
time it will be found in a plastic condition, when it may be removed from the
boiler or tank and placed into boxes or moulds of any design, shape, length, or
form, and then submitted to powerful pressure, which is effected by a machine, such
as that shown in the annexed Drawings.
This machine is also adapted for the production of armour plates or slabs of any
desired length.
A quantity of the mixed and heated material is placed upon the bed plate A of
the machine while in a plastic state, or the mass is placed into one of a series of
boxes which is allowed to traverse up and down or along the table B, or the table
may travel, while a knife or cutter C is supplied by powerful screw pressure D
above the machine, this knife works upon a slide, so that it may readily cut out
slabs or plates of any desired thickness that may be required; in some cases I
dispense with the knife or cutter and employ a pair of iron or steel rollers, such as
when extra hard bodies have to be produced.
According to the second part of my Invention I take one hundred weight of
slate, together with four hundred weight of peat or tan ground, suitably fine, and
add to the mass two hundred weight of pitch or bituminous matter; I further mix
therewith fifty six pounds of coal tar, together with fourteen pounds weight of
green oil; when this mass is thoroughly mixed it is then placed in a large boiler or
tank, such as is used for the well known asphalte process. After the substance
has received sufficient heat to bring it into a plastic condition and readily workable,
it is placed into an ordinary brick machine, and bricks of any size or dimension
for paving blocks for all kinds of roads or pavements can be made.
The substance may be placed into box moulds made to take into two parts, and
fastened together by means of nuts and bolts. When bricks or blocks for road
making are required to resist heavy traffic than those made by the method referred
to, I prefer using iron moulds and submitting the blocks to powerful hydraulic
pressure.

page_text: In some cases I dispense with the use of moulds and lay and spread it down in
an asphalte form on the top of a concrete surface. To prevent horses from slipping
and also foot passengers, I use hot ridged or grooved iron stampers so to form
channels and to keep the pavement dry, a pavement thus laid will be sufficiently
hard and will be waterproof.
The third part of my Invention relates to the production of sanitary and other
pipes. For this purpose I take a suitable proportion of the substance or ingredients
before referred to, and place it into moulds of any shape that is capable of
producing a tubular like form, the ingredient is supplied to the moulds whilst hot
and then submitted to a powerful pressure, after which the pipes, etc., are allowed
to cool down before being removed from the moulds, the articles being
sufficiently waterproof, slightly elastic, and capable of answering all sanitary
purposes.
According to the fourth part of my Invention, for the construction of massive
armour plates or slabs that may be used in the construction of ships or, firing
targets, and all kinds of floating vessels where wood and iron is now employed.
I take one hundred weight of peat dried and ground in a suitable form, and
amalgamate it with fifty six pounds weight of pitch or bituminous matter, I then
add fifty six pounds weight of cotton, flock, or cotton waste, the refuse of mungo,
shoddy, or any other suitable filiamentous or fibrous material that may be
requisite.
Before amalgamating the fibrous material I make a solution composed of
Stockholm tar, green oil, creosote, or its equivalent, in order to render the mass
waterproof; these ingredients are mixed in equal proportions, say, in weight one
pound of each; they are boiled and stirred together. In some cases a little linseed
or other oil may be added; after this process has been effected, it is then added
with the peat, and the ingredients before mentioned. All the substances are taken
and placed in a boiler or tank and submitted to a powerful heat to bring the mass
into a plastic condition. I then place any suitable quantity of said mixture on to
the table of a machine, and press or roll slabs of any desired substance or length,
such slabs or plates being fitting for clading ships and such like structure, the
slabs being much lighter in their construction and more capable of answering these
purposes than iron or wood.
The fifth part of my Invention is carried into effect as follows:-For the
construction of figures, ornamental designs, cabinet work or mounts, and similar
purposes, I take one hundred weight of ground peat and add of whiting fifty six
pounds weight, together with fourteen pounds weight of glue and seven pounds
weight of rosin, one gallon of boiled oil, and add thereto two quarts of gold size,
this mass is placed into a box or tank and thoroughly well mixed and stirred for a
short time at a moderate heat, so as to allow the ingredients to blend themselves
well together. After this process has been effected the mass will be found in a
plastic condition, when figures and ornamental designs may be readily produced
with great facility; by placing quantities into moulds or dies and submitting them
to hydraulic or other pressure, they are then taken from the press and allowed a
sufficient time to cool down before being removed. After this operation they may
be coated with a solution composed of india rubber or gutta percha dissolved in a
liquid form by the action of bisulphide of carbon, petroleum, or naptha, that is to
Bay, I take one pound of india rubber or gutta percha and dissolve it with four
pounds of bisulphide of carbon in weight, together with two pounds of benzoline or
rectified petroleum, these ingredients may be readily placed together in an air tight
box or jar, and in the space of twenty four hours will be found to be in a liquid
form, when the articles may be painted or brushed over with the solution.
I do not confine myself to painting it or brushing it on, I may amalgamate it
with the ingredients herebefore mentioned, the object or use of the liquid is to
render the articles entirely waterproof and capable of resisting the action of the
atmosphere or damp.
In some cases wood dust, stone dust, sand, or its equivalent can be amalgamated

page_text: with the ingredients here referred to for the manufacture of cabinet work or
mounts and all kinds of structural purposes in general.
The sixth part of my Invention consists in the manufacture of stoppers for
bottles, covering for jars, taps for drawing off chemicals or other liquids. “For this
purpose I take a quantity of ground peat and amalgamate it with equal proportion
in weight of sawdust or spent tan or grain, and grind them into a pulverised
condition, I then take a suitable proportion of the mass and mix it with ingredients
composed of refuse of gutta percha, india rubber, ground bone dust, and the like.
The way the articles as herebefore mentioned are made is as follows:-
I take about one pound of each of the ingredients mentioned and render them
into a plastic condition by dissolving the india rubber or gutta percha by the action
of bisulphide of carbon, benzoline, or petroleum; these ingredients are placed into
an air tight vessel for a short space of time, and they will be found in a most
plastic condition, when it may be readily pressed into moulds and rendered fit for
the purposes as herein before mentioned.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,—
The several combinations and amalgamations of ingredients in the manner and
for the purposes mentioned, peat or turf in a fibrous or in a ground state being the
base of each composition.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Wilkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.