IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRYING THE BOG: EARTH COMMONLY KNOWN AS PEAT
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Judge Hays, of Hertingfordbury, in the
County of Hertford, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRYING THE BOG:
EARTH COMMONLY KNOWN AS PEAT."
Sealed the 14th July 1871, and dated the 16th January 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Judge Hays
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 16th January 1871.
I, JOSEPH JUDGE HAYS, of Hertingfordbury, in the County of Hertford,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRYING
THE BOG EARTH COMMONLY KNOWN AS PEAT," to be as follows:-
66
The peat after being taken from the bog is triturated in any convenient
manner to a pulpy consistence. It is then delivered by an elevator or
other convenient means into a hopper which has a feeder with doors or
flaps (an upper one which is closed when a lower one opens and delivers

page_text: a certain quantity of peat). The peat is then passed into a receiver
with moveable sides, the bottom whereof is formed of perforated metal
or wire netting, which is in some cases covered with sacking or other
woven material. Trays are used, and when filled the sides can be
removed or not as desired. The trays when filled are moved away and
others brought up and filled, and so on with any number of trays.
Instead of the above the peat from the bog can be triturated in one
or more pug mills arranged for delivery thereof in a continuous web or
ribbon into trays travelling on an endless band or chain, a cutter of
metal or wire being worked to divide transversely the web of peat
between each of the trays. Thus each tray as it passes the pug mill is
charged with a layer of peat of uniform thickness of one complete width
or a number of narrower widths. Or the same object may be attained by
a pug mill provided with numerous delivery orifices. The full trays are
placed successively under a stamping machine which is provided with a
die of the same size as the tray having a number of partitions and
piercers passing quite through the peat and through the perforated
metal or wire netting of the tray bottom. The die is provided with one
or more flat plates of perforated metal cr wire netting fitted loosely on
the piercers. When the piercers and partitions pass through the peat
these plates or the wire netting rest on the top surface of the peat. The
plates or wire netting have springs or weights or other means of holding
in position and pressing them on the upper surface of the peat, so as to
consolidate and prevent it being drawn out when the die is withdrawn.
Or the action may be reversed, and the partitions & piercers brought
in from the under side of the peat.
By the above means the peat is divided into convenient blocks with
perforations to facilitate drying. The drying is effected by placing the
blocks in a drying apparatus which is applicable to drying purposes
generally. This is divided into chambers closed by doors or slides pro- :
portioned to the sizes of the trays. Pipes or passages which may be
provided with diaphragms convey hot or dry air into and through the
chambers and around the peat blocks, which hot or dry air may afterwards
be allowed to escape or be carried into a second drying apparatus in
which the peat may be placed when taken from the first apparatus. The a
current of hot or dry air can be changed by means of valves, so that
when any trays of peat are sufficiently dried those undried may be
substituted.. It is generally more profitable not to fully.dry the peat in

page_text: the first series of chambers, but to complete the drying by exposure to
the atmosphere, or by placing it in a heated chamber.
Various arrangements may be adopted for the drying purposes above
referred to, and for regulating the temperature of heated air, whether
by passing the same over or through burning fuel or otherwise. A hot
air engine and a furnace provided with hot and cold air pipes and fans
may be applied to impel or exhaust the air, and the relative quantities
of the air can be adjusted to the required degree of heat. The partitions
in the drying apparatus may be dispensed with if desired, and the details
of the machinery generally modified as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Judge Hays in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 15th. July 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
JUDGE HAYS, of Hertingfordbury, in the County of Hertford, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Judge Hays, Her special
licence that I, the said Joseph Judge Hays, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Judge Hays,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRYING THE BOG EARTH
COMMONLY KNOWN AS PEAT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Joseph Judge Hays, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and.
.

page_text: cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Judge Hays, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The processes above referred to which are to be carried out by the aid
of the machinery hereafter described consists in triturating or reducing
the peat to a pulpy consistence, then forming the same into blocks with
perforations through the same, and drying such blocks in the manner
and by the means hereafter described. The peat from the bog can be
triturated in one or more pug mills arranged for delivery thereof in a con-
. tinuous web or ribbon into trays travelling on an endless band or chain,
a cutter of metal or wire being worked to divide transversely the web of
peat between each of the trays. Thus each tray as it passes the pug mill
is charged with a layer of peat of uniform thickness, of one complete
width or a number of narrower widths. Or the same object may be
attained by a pug mill provided with delivery orifices. The full trays
are placed successively under a stamping machine which is provided
with a die of the same size as the tray having a number of partitions and
piercers passing quite through the peat and through the perforated metal
or wire netting of the tray bottom. The die is provided with one or
more flat plates of perforated metal or wire netting fitting loosely on the
piercers. When the piercers and partitions pass through the peat these
plates or the wire netting rest on the top surface of the peat. The plates
or wire netting have springs or weights or other means of holding in
'position and pressing them on the upper surface of the peat so as to
consolidate and prevent it being drawn out when the dye is withdrawn.
Or the action may be reversed and the partitions and piercers brought in
from the under side of the peat.
By the above means the peat is divided into convenient blocks with
perforations to facilitate drying. The drying is effected by placing the
blocks in a drying apparatus. This is divided into chambers closed by
doors or slides proportioned to the sizes of the trays. Pipes or passages
which may be provided with diaphragms convey hot or dry air into and
through the chambers and around the peat blocks, which hot or dry air
may afterwards be allowed to escape or be carried into a second drying

page_text: apparatus in which the peat may be placed when taken from the first
apparatus. The current of hot air or dry air can be changed by means of
valves so that when any trays of peat are sufficiently dried those not
dried may be substituted. It is generally more profitable not to fully
dry the peat in the first series of chambers but to complete the drying
by exposure to the atmosphere or by placing it in a heated chamber.
Instead of the foregoing system as described the following modifications
thereof may be adopted. The peat being triturated is then delivered by.
an elevator or other convenient means into a hopper which has a feeder
with doors or flaps (an upper one which is closed when a lower one opens)
and delivers a certain quantity of peat. The peat is then passed into a
receiver with moveable sides, the bottom whereof is formed of perforated
metal or wire netting, which is in some cases covered with sacking or
other woven material. Trays are used, and when filled the sides can be
removed or not as desired, the trays when filled are moved away and
others brought up and filled, and so on with any number of trays.
Various arrangements may be adopted for obtaining and regulating
the temperature of heated air, whether by passing the same over or
through burning fuel or otherwise for the drying purposes above referred
to, for instance, a hot air engine and furnace provided with hot and cold
air pipes and fans may be applied to impel or exhaust the air and the
relative quantities of the air can be adjusted to the required degree of
heat. The partitions in the drying apparatus may be dispensed with if
desired and details of the machinery generally modified as required.
Thus far in compliance with the said condition in the said Letters
Patent I have particularly described the object and nature of the said
Invention, therein adverting to the manner of performing or putting the
same in practice, and now in further compliance with the said Letters
Patent I will particularly describe and ascertain in what manner the
same is to be performed or put in practice by referring to the accom-
panying Drawings as follows, that is to say,―
DESCRIPTION OF TILE TiniwYWAN

page_text: hopper b, which may be made of any size or shape. The buckets of this
elevator are provided with moveable bottoms a¹ turning on hinges b¹.
When the buckets are going up these moveable bottoms are in the
position b¹, c¹, but when the buckets pass over the top drum the bottoms
fall over into the position b', d¹, and so assist in forcing the peat out of
the bucket and prevent it sticking therein; it then passes through
four rollers c worked by gearing, in which are fixed iron bars so as to
'thoroughly triturate the peat, it then passes into a cast-iron barrel, which
is divided into four compartments by arms & the full length of the barrel,
as each in revolving passes the bottom of the hopper b, one compartment
fills with peat, which is carried three-fourths of the way round the barrel
when the peat is met by a scraper e worked by a cam f fixed on the
shaft g, on which is also fixed a large spur wheel h worked by a pinion i
on a smaller shaft worked by means of a pulley from a steam or other
engine, which scraper is forced forward by the cam f into the position
shown by dotted lines, when it meets the arm as it revolves forcing the
peat which the arm was carrying round inside the barrel through the
aperture (which keeps it all of an even thickness) on the iron trays l
which are carried on an endless chain m round two drums n, on one of
which is fixed a ratchet wheel o worked by a rack p on the end of a rod
attached to the scraper e, so that when the scraper moves forward the
rack moves the drum round, moving the trays forward at the same speed
as the peat passes through the aperture and is thus carried into the
punching and cutting machine.
It must be noticed during the time that the scraper is being carried
back to its original position by the arm that no peat is passing through
the aperture and thus gives time for cutting and punching.
Punching and Cutting.-q are the punches made of hard metal fixed
into the plater, on the under side of which are fixed two frames in each
of which the rollers are fixed, one at top and one at bottom, against
which rollers the cams t work forcing the punches upwards and down-
wards, the ends of the punches pass through a die plate u, and the lower
portion of the frames which carry the rollers passes through a guide v
so that the punches always maintain a vertical position; w are. the
cutters which are worked in exactly the same manner as the punches,
namely, by rollers and cams. The whole of the punching and cutting
machinery is fastened to one bed plate x, the shaft y on which the cams
are fixed is carried by three standards z, and is worked by gearing from
•

page_text: the shaft g, the standards are bolted on to the bed plate and carry a
cast-iron frame A which carries the die plate u before mentioned, it also
guides the trays which carry the peat and has a ledge running the
whole length on which the chain rests which carries the trays. When
the peat is carried into the punching and cutting machine each tray
arrives over the punches and under the cutters and then pauses, the
cutter then descends cutting the peat into squares and rests there, the
punches then are forced through the peat (the trays are perforated) and
through the cast-iron blocks B (which are perforated with holes to suit
the punches) of one which rests on each square of peat and is held there
by the cutter frame, the punches then pause a sufficient time to allow
the points to be brushed either by hand or by machinery if it be required.
The punches then descend and when they are clear of the tray the
cutter rises, and when the cutter is clear of the peat it lifts the square
blocks B off the peat by means of four small rods fixed in the blocks
and having cross pieces at the top which are caught by the top of the
cutter frame when it has risen far enough. The scraper then moves
forward moving the chain which carries out the tray of peat punched
and cut into squares, and carries. a fresh tray into the machine, the tray
that has been punched is then ready for the drying chamber. Two men
are employed, one in laying on the empty trays and one in removing the
full ones.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OF PEAT DRYING CHAMBER.
Fig. 1 is a plan of four chambers, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section
through one chamber. a is a furnace in which fuel of any kind may be
burned for heating the air. The external air enters the furnace by
apertures below the fire-bars, and by apertures c above the fire-bars.
The size of which apertures are adjusted by valves or slides so as to
admit more or less air above or below the fire and thus to regulate the
temperature of the air. Heated air from a hot air engine or from any
other source may also be allowed to enter by the aperture d. The
heated air next passes through a mixing chamber e where it combines
together so as to become of a uniform temperature and passes along
the passages ff, f, f, and enters the drying chambers at the points
9, 9, 9, 9. The drying chambers are filled with moulded and perforated
peat placed on the trays h, h, h, which are provided with wheels and
run on a tramroad inside the chamber. The chambers are provided with

page_text: partitions or diaphragms i, i, i, fixed on hinges, the upper ones hanging
downwards and the lower ones standing up, the lower ones are provided
with counterbalance weights to keep them in an erect position. The
-effect of these partitions or diaphragms is to cause the heated air to pass
in the direction indicated by the arrows, thus to pass through the per-
forated peat on each tray and bring the utmost amount of peat surface
into contact with the heated air. The air is drawn through the chambers
by the aperture k by means of a fan or other suitable machinery.
When the tray of peat at the end g of the drying chamber is sufficiently
dried it is withdrawn from the chamber, and the remaining trays being
all moved forward another tray of wet peat is placed in at the opposite
end of the chamber. This process goes on continuously, a tray of dried
peat being withdrawn at one end and another tray of wet peat put in at
the other end in constant succession: The ends of the chambers are
closed by air-tight doors 7, 1. The hercin-before described partitions
or diaphragms being moveable on hinges allow the trays to be drawn
along and at the same time always form sufficiently air-tight divisions
in the chambers to cause the air to circulate as indicated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the herein described
"Improvements in the Process of and Machinery or Apparatus for
Drying the Bog Earth commonly known as Peat," when the same are
combined and used substantially as above described, it being understood
that in my said Invention the following are principal and important
features.
Perforating and dividing into blocks peat. so as to expose the largest
practicable surface for drying.
Also drying of peat in one or more drying chambers.
Also heating the air or gases by passing the same either through or
over burning fuel so as to regulate the temperature.
Also exhausting or impeling the said air or gases by a fan or otherwise
for the purpose of drying peat.
1
Also the employment of metal diaphragms in pipes used for the
purpose of heating the air or gases in order to increase the heating
surface as described.

page_text: And likewise the use of a moveable or hinged bottom to the buckets of
the elevator apparatus herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Judge Hays, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JOSEPH JUDGE HAYS. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street.