Improvements in the Manufacture of Briquettes for Fuel.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1895-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1895.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Briquettes for Fuel.
RICHARD FEGAN Templecrone Blackheath Doctor of Medicine do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention, is the manufacture of briquettes for fuel; of high
heating power; which will not be affected by moisture, will retain their solid
condition in all climates, and will not when in use emit any objectionable smoke
or odour.
The process is conducted as follows,
I take the hard residue from the distillation of colophony and having pulverized
it, I mix it in suitable proportion with napththalene and coal dust or small coal.
These ingredients are now thoroughly incorporated in a pug or other mixing
ressel, in which the contents are heated to a point sufficient to melt the binding
materials; this point occurs according to the kind of coal used between 280° &
350° Fahrenheit.
When the mixing is completed the hot magma. is passed into the briquette
making machine where it is moulded into blocks in the ordinary manner.
The hard colophony residue is not to be confounded. with rosin, which owing
to its brittleness and low melting point is quite unsuitable for my purpose, what I
claim is the comparatively valueless substance left in the stills after the rosin
products have been eliminated and which does not soften under 280° Fahrenheit.
The napththalene is the ordinary waste product obtained principally in the
manufacture of coal gas.
It is convenient to heat the mixer by introducing superheated steam, but it is
evident that any method of heating may be adopted which gives the required
temperature.
In adition to, or in lieu of the colophony residue, I sometimes use ozocerite and
other pitch of the paraffin series of bodies, such of them as do not melt under
280 Fah. I find suitable for my purpose.
The proportions of pitch & napththalene vary with the kind of coal employed,
for ordinary bituminous coal-two to three per cent. of the pitchy residues, and two
to two & one half per cent. of napththalene gives good results.
Dated this 24th day of October 1894.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Briquettes for Fuel.
I, RICHARD FEGAN, Templecrone, Blackheath, Doctor of Medicine, 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 :-
My invention has for its object the manufacture of briquettes or artificial fuel
blocks that produce a high degree of heat in combustion, without smoke or
unpleasant odours, and which effectually withstand a moist atmosphere and change
of climate, always retaining their solid form.

page_text: The essential feature of my invention consists in the admixture, with the small
coal or carbonaceous material employed, of naphthalin and the solid residue of
resin distillation. These are comparatively very cheap materials, which when
mixed intimately together with small coal or other carbonaceous matter under the
influence of heat, and then formed into blocks or briquettes, produce a very
complete combustion when burnt, on account of the presence of various hydro-
carbons. Also, on account of the mixture being effected under the influence of
heat, the naphthalin and resin residue are to a great extent volatilised and thus
enable a most intimate admixture thereof with the carbonaceous materials, to be
produced, which is of great importance for effecting the perfect combustion.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to proceed as follows:-
The hard residuum of resin distillation is finely powdered and is introduced
together with the naphthalin and small coal into a closed vessel having a suitable
stirring apparatus and which is heated by any suitable means to a temperature of
from 138° to 177° C. The naphthalin and resin residue are by this means melted
and partially volatilised, so that by continued stirring an exceedingly intimate
mixture of the ingredients is effected. The mixture is then discharged from the
incorporating vessel through a channel to any known construction of briquette
making machine, the mass being cooled down during the transit, and consequently
the volatile constituents become condensed, while the liquefied particles become
pasty, so that after pressing and moulding in the machine the mass is gradually
converted into hard fuel blocks.
As the resin residue does not melt under 82° C. and is exceedingly tough and
hard, the briquettes become very hard and tough, and are not affected either by a
moist atmosphere nor by high atmospheric temperatures.
.
This result is not merely due to the individual properties of the resin-residue
nor to the intimate admixture of the ingredients, but arises in great measure from
a peculiar reaction of the resin residue with the naphthalin under the influence of
beat which brings about a certain change, as it has been proved by experiments
that the melting point of the combined ingredients is considerably higher than that
of the said substances when taken singly.
And this high melting point is one of the most valuable features of my improved
fuel, as it enables the same to remain perfectly hard and unaffected when exposed
to the heat of the stoke-hold of a ship, under which conditions the ordinary
briquette fuel is apt to soften and crumble away.
With the resin residues may be used ozokerit or other residuum of the paraffin
series that does not melt under 138° C., or these may in some cases be substituted
altogether for the resin residue, but I prefer to employ the latter.
For heating the mixture in the incorporating vessel superheated steam may be
used with advantage.
The proportions of the materials employed can of course
vary greatly,
according to the nature of the carbonaceous material used, I prefer however to use
from 2 to 3 parts of resin residuum to 2 to 2-5 parts of naphthalin, with 100 parts
of ordinary bituminous coal.
In certain cases, such as where the fuel blocks are subjected to a high degree of
heat such as in boiler furnaces, I prefer to add to the compound a small quantity,
say from 1 to 2 per cent. of hydrated lime for preventing the blocks from softening
materially under the heat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, .I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of manufacturing briquettes or artificial fuel blocks, by
intimately combining with small coal or other suitable carbonaceous material, the
residues of resin distillation or equivalent distillation residues and naphthalin,
under the influence of heat, and then pressing the mixture into blocks substantially
as described.

page_text: 2. As a new manufacture, briquettes made of small coal or the like mixed with
the solid residue of resin distillation or equivalent residues and naphthalin under
the influence of heat, substantially as described.
1
T1
1005
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.