An Improved Method or Process and Apparatus for the Preparation of Peat for Fuel.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
!
An Improved Method or Process and Apparatus for the Preparation of
Peat for Fuel.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT BELL, of 39, Lombard Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide for the preparation of peat for fuel
in a more efficient, expeditious and economical manner than heretofore.
My said invention comprises the treatment of the peat by an improved method
or process in which the peat, as it comes from the moss or bog, is first formed
into a pulp in a suitable grinding or pulping machine, and is then forced
under pressure through a pipe or hose into a press or moulding-machine, being
drained on its way to the said moulding-macliine so as to deprive it of a con-
siderable proportion of the water which it contains, and is then moulded into
blocks or strips of convenient length and shape, which are received upon suitable
boards or planks, and is then dried first in the open air and then in a suitable
drying-chamber.
By this method or process the peat is brought into a very advantageous con-
dition for use as fuel.
My said invention also comprises improved apparatus for the preparation of
peat by my method or process. For this purpose I provide a grinding or pulping
machine into which the peat, conveyed from the moss or bog by a series of
endless travelling bands or by other convenient means, is delivered by means of
a suitable elevator. This machine comprises a cylindrical casing in which
several horizontal perforated plates are arranged at suitable distances apart one
above another, and a vertical rotary shaft extending through the said perforated
plates and having fixed upon it immediately above each of the said plates, one
or more knives or blades. The said shaft is caused to rotate about its axis at a
high velocity, so that the said knives or blades, which are more or less inclined
will operate in conjunction with the perforated plates to cut up or grind the
peat and force it through the perforations and thus reduce it to pulp. The upper
surface of each perforated plate is carefully planed so as to provide sharp edges
around the perforations, and so that the sharp edges of the knives or blades will,
in all positions thereof, be in contact with or in close proximity to the upper
if
surface of the said plates. The perforations in the upper plate or plates are,
desired, made somewhat larger than those in the lower plate or plates.
Beneath the lowermost perforated plate in this pulping-machine, is arranged
a screw-conveyor whereby the pulp is further mixed and ground, and is forced
through a more or less contracted lateral opening and through a pipe or hose
connected therewith, into the hopper of a press or moulding-machine, in which
it is further treated as hereinafter mentioned. A part of the pipe for conveying
the peat-pulp from the pulping-machine is preferably made in the form of a
strainer; for instance, a suitable length of linen or canvas hose is interposed
between metal pipes, one at each end, so that, as the peat-pulp' is being forced

page_text: from the pulping-machine to the moulding-machine, a considerable proportion
of the water mixed with it will be squeezed out through the linen or canvas, and
consequently the peat, when fed into the moulding-machine, will have the con-
sistency of a stiff paste.
In the lower end of the press or moulding-machine is a screw-conveyor which
forces the stiff mass of peat out through one or more contracted openings or dies in
long pieces of square, oblong or other suitable shape in transverse section.
These pieces are received upon boards or planks which are fed along one after
another by means of rolls arranged beneath the moulding-machine, the said
boards or planks being supported upon suitable rollers. I sometimes provide
means whereby the moulded material will be automatically cut into pieces equal
in length to the boards or planks, and means whereby each board or plank, when
it has passed from beneath the moulds, will be moved along at a higher rate of
speed than the preceding board or plank. Each board or plank, with the strip
or strips of moulded peat thereon, is, in turn, litted off the supporting rollers
and placed upon one or other of a series of skids or the like, upon which it is
left for a suitable length of time to permit the air-drying of the moulded peat.
The moulded strips are then removed or tipped over from the said boards or
planks into trucks, cribs or the like, and are stored in a drying-chamber
wherein the final drying takes place, and the peat is then ready for use as fuel.
The boards or planks from the drying-chamber can be again fed beneath the
moulding-machine to receive other strips of the moulded peat to be dried.
"
Dated the 4th day of November 1897
D. YOUNG & Co..
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method or Process and Apparatus for the Preparation of
Peat for Fuel.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT BELL, of 39, Lombard Street, in the City of London, 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 follow-
ing statement:
The object of my invention is to provide for the preparation of peat for fuel
in a more efficient, expeditious and economical manner than heretofore.
My said invention comprises the treatment of the peat by an improved method
or process in which the peat, as it comes from the moss or bog, is first formed
into a pulp in a suitable grinding or pulping machine, and is then forced
through a pipe or hose into a moulding-machine, being drained on its way to the
said moulding machine so as to deprive it of a considerable proportion of the
water which it contains, and is then moulded into blocks or strips of convenient
length and shape, which are received upon suitable boards or planks, upon which
they are conveyed to a drying space or chamber, and are then dried first in the
open air and then in a suitable drying chamber.
By this method or process the peat is brought into a very advantageous con-
dition for use as fuel.
My said invention also comprises an improved grinding or pulping machine
in which several horizontal perforated plates are arranged at suitable distances
apart one above another in a cylindrical chamber or casing, and a vertical rotary
shaft extends through the said perforated plates and has fixed upon it imme-

page_text: diately above each of the said plates, one or more knives or blades which are
more or less inclined. The said shaft is caused to rotate about its axis, at a high
velocity so that the said knives or blades will operate in conjunction with the
perforated plates to cut up or grind the peat and force it through the perfora-
tions and thus reduce it to pulp.
Beneath the lowermost perforated plate in this pulping-machine, is arranged
a moulding machine comprising a screw-conveyor whereby the pulp is further
mixed and ground, and is forced therefrom through a pipe or hose connected
therewith, into a chamber having one or more contracted openings or dies
through which the stiff mass of peat is forced out in long pieces of square,
oblong, or other suitable shape in transverse section. The whole or a part of
the pipe for conveying the peat-pulp from the pulping-machine to the moulds
or dies is preferably made in the form of a strainer; for instance the said pipe
is made of canvas or the like, or a suitable length of linen or canvas hose is
interposed between metal pipes, one at each end, so that, as the peat-pulp is
being forced from the pulping-machine to the moulds or dies, a considerable
proportion of the water mixed with it will be squeezed out through the linen or
canvas, and consequently, the peat, when fed into the moulding-machine, will
have the consistency of a stiff paste.
:
The moulded peat is received upon boards or planks which are fed along one
after another beneath the moulding-machine by means of suitable supporting
rollers.
In another form of my improved apparatus, the peat, after leaving the pulping
machine, is transferred to the moulding machine by means of an endless belt
or other suitable conveyor.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice."
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, and
Figure 2 an end elevation, also partly in section, showing one form of my
improved apparatus for the treatment of peat.
Figure 3 is a plan, partly in horizontal section on the line -, Figure 1,
drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is a section on the line - Figure 3 showing details of construc-
tion.
Figure 5 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of part of the apparatus, also
drawn to an enlarged scale, and
Figure 6 is a side elevation showing a modified form of my improved
apparatus.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is a cylindrical chamber or casing open at the top and mounted in a suit-
able frame B, into which chamber the peat is fed from the bog or moss by means
of an endless band C or other suitable conveyor. In this chamber is mounted
a series of horizontal perforated plates D situated at suitable distances apart one
above another; and above each of these plates are arranged curved knives or
blades E, Figures 3 and 4, mounted on a vertical rotary shaft F having at its
upper end a pulley F and arranged to be driven at a high velocity say, for
example, six hundred revolutions per minute, by means of belting from a suit-
able driving-shaft. The knives or blades E are inclined as shown in Figure 4,
and their upper edges are made sharp, so that they will cut into the mass of
peat above the plates D and force the pieces or cuttings of peat thus severed
from the mass downwards through the perforations D in the said plates. The
under surfaces of the said knives move in contact with or in close proximity
to the upper surface of the plates D. which are carefully planed or otherwise
made smooth so as to provide sharp edges around the perforations therein; these
sharp edges act in conjunction with the said knives to comminute and knead
the said peat as it passes through the said plates from the top to the bottom of

page_text: the chamber A. The perforations in the lower plates 1) are made smaller than
those in the upper plates D so as to allow for the gradual reduction in size of
the pieces of peat as the material passes through the said chamber.
At the bottom of the cylindrical chamber A is provided a hopper G for conduct-
ing the comminuted and kneaded peat-material into a tube H, in which works
a screw conveyor J driven by belting from the aforesaid driving-shaft through
a suitable countershaft. The screw-conveyor J forces the kneaded peat-material
from the said tube H through a tube K which is gradually reduced in diameter
and is made of linen, canvas or other material which will allow water to pass
through whilst preventing the passage of solid matter. After passing through
the strainer K, the peat is forced through dies or moulds L, Figure 5, onto
planks M, which are fed along between suitable guides N beneath the dies or
moulds L by means of supporting rollers P, Figure 2, to which rotary motion is
imparted from the conveyor-shaft J through suitable gearing.
As the peat
passes through the permeable tube or strainer K, it is subjected to compression
by reason of the reduction of diameter of the said tube, and a large proportion
of the water in it is squeezed out, and consequently the peat, when fed into the
moulding machine, will have the consistency of a stiff paste.
I sometimes provide any well-known or suitable means whereby the moulded
material, after issuing from the dies or moulds L, will be automatically cut into
pieces equal or about equal in length to the boards or planks; and in such case
I prefer to provide suitable means whereby each board or plank, when it has
passed from beneath the moulds, will be moved along at a higher rate of speed
than the preceding board or plank, for example, as hereinafter described with
reference to Figure 6.
Each board or plank, with the strip or strips of moulded peat thereon, is, in
turn, lifted off the supporting rollers and placed upon one or other of a series
of skids or the like, upon which it is left for a considerable length of time to
permit the air-drying of the moulded peat. The moulded strips are then removed
ar tipped over from the said boards or planks into trucks, cribs or the like and
are stored in a drying chamber wherein the final drying takes place, and the
peat is then ready for use as fuel. The boards or planks from the drying
chamber can be again fed beneath the moulding machine to receive other strips
of the moulded peat to be dried.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 6, the kneaded or pulped material is
discharged from the hopper G at the base of the cylindrical chamber A. onto a
travelling band conveyor Q whereby it is delivered into a hopper R above the
moulding machine.
a coned
In this arrangement, the planks M are supported on flanged guide-rollers which
are divided into sets P, Pi driven by belts S, S¹ respectively from
pulley S2, the set P1 being driven at a higher velocity than the set P, so that,
when a plank has been moved by the rollers P to the distance of, say, its own
length from the dies or moulds L and the length of moulded peat thereon has
been cut off or separated from the mass, the said plank will be moved along at
a higher rate of speed by the rollers P¹ and thus conveyed away to the drying
place or chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improved method or process for the preparation of peat, for fuel, in
which the peat is first formed into a pulp in a suitable grinding or pulping
machine, and is then forced into a moulding machine through a permeable pipe
or hose so that it is drained on its way to the said moulding machine from a
considerable proportion of the water which it contains, and is then moulded into
blocks or strips of convenient length and shape which are received upon suit-
able boards or planks whereon a preliminary drying of the said blocks or strips

page_text: is effected and from which the said blocks or strips are then removed and are
further dried in a drying chamber, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The inclined knives or blades adapted to be rapidly rotated in close
proximity to perforated plates arranged one above another, at suitable distances
apart in a cylindrical chamber or casing, substantially as herein before described
and for the purposes specified.
3. The combination, with the pulping and moulding machines, of a permeable
pipe or strainer through which the peat material is forced on its way from the
pulping machine to the moulding machine, for the purpose above specified.
4. The employment, in conjunction with one or more moulds or dies, of boards
or planks adapted to be fed along beneath the same by supporting rollers, sub-
stantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
5. The improved apparatus for the treatment of peat constructed substantially
as described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or to Figure 6 of the drawings and
operating as, and for the purposes, above specified.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.