Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1887
Complete Left, 7th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
I, EDWARD ZOHRAB, of 18 Laurence Pountney Hill, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to so treat ordinary bog-peat as to bring the same
into such a condition that it may be advantageously used for various purposes; For
example the product obtained by my invention may be used as fuel for use in blast or
other furnaces, for heating the water in steam boilers, and for domestic stoves. It
may also, when made into charcoal, be used with great advantage in the manu-
facture of gunpowder, steel and for many other purposes in which charcoal is
employed.
One great objection to the use of peat for many purposes has been caused by
the reason of the difficulty in drying it sufficiently; at a cost which will permit of its
use; but by means of my invention this difficulty has been overcome.
My method of treatment consists broadly in first grinding the peat in a suitable
apparatus, then subjecting it to a process of kneading in another apparatus by which,
after being kneaded, it is moulded or formed into any desirablo shape and deposited
upon a travelling band working within a chamber into which hot or cold dry air is
blown at intervals along the sides thereof, the peat being delivered from this chamber
perfectly dry and hard.
In carrying my said invention into practice I take the peat from the bog and place
it within an iron mill which is preferably made of circular form. This mill is open
at its upper end and has at its lower end a removable plate which is attached by
means of screws or otherwise so as to be capable of removal with facility in case of
breakage. This plate is perforated, having a number of holes through which the
ground peat passes in the form of strings and in a plastic consistency. A vertical
shaft is arranged in the centre of the mill being supported in suitable bearings at the
top and bottom. The shaft has near its lower end, two or more plates or blades of
steel, and at its upper end a gear wheel through the agency of which the shaft is
driven by any suitable motor. When the shaft rotates, the steel blades travel with
the same and the peat is ground by the action of these blades forcing it against the
sides of the mill; and as is ground it escapes through the perforations above
mentioned into the kneading and moulding apparatus situated immediately beneath

page_text: the mill. This apparatus is a strong iron cylinder preferably of reduced diameter at
its lower end. À vertical shaft is provided in its centre and may be either a
continuation of the shaft of the mill or separate therefrom. This shaft has a number
of iron or steel arms projecting radially from it at intervals and so arranged thereon
as to work between corresponding arms attached to the internal surface of the
cylinder. As the shaft rotates, the plastic peat received from the mill is thoroughly
kneaded by the action of the rotating and fixed arms and is finally forced out of
suitably shaped holes at the bottom of the cylinder which cause the plastic mass to
be moulded into a definite shape. As it passes out of these moulding apertures the
peat is delivered upon a travelling band, or bands within the drying machine or
chamber. A knife or a string or wire is provided at the entrance to cut the mass
into suitable blocks or pieces. This knife or other device has imparted to it, by any
suitable means a rectilinear or circular motion also a slight forward motion.
The drying machine consists in an iron case or chamber of considerable length say
from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet in which an endless band is situated
being passed around rollers and having imparted to it a continuous and slow motion.
The blocks of peat travel upon this band the speed of which is so regulated that the
passage of the peat through the chamber will occupy about ten hours. Pipes leading
from the blowing machine or fan open into this Chamber along the two sides thereof
the openings being arranged at intervals of about five or ten feet. Hot or cold dry
air is constantly forced into the chamber through these pipes so that the peat is always
surrounded by the same during the time it is travelling through the said chamber.
The peat blocks or pieces are delivered at the end of this machine in a perfectly hard
and dry condition quite ready for uso as fuel or for being charred to form
charcoal. It is obvious that more than one travelling band may be used in the drying
chamber if desirable.
In some cases when cold air is used I provide a chamber or vessel containing
charcoal through which this air passes before entering the drying machine.
EDWARD ZOHRAB.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
5, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, EDWARD ZOHRAB, of 18 Laurence Pountney Hill, in the City of London,
Engineer, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to so treat ordinary bog peat that it may be
advantageously used for various purposes. For example the product obtained by my
invention may be used as fuel in blast-furnaces, steam-boiler furnaces, domestic stoves
and the like. It may also be made into charcoal and used with great advantage in
the manufacture of gunpowder or steel, and for many other purposes in which charcoal
is employed.
One great objection to the use of peat for many purposes has been due to the
difficulty experienced in drying it sufficiently at a cost which will permit of its use
commercially. By my invention, however, I obviate this difficulty and provide for
drying and hardening peat in a simple, continuous and efficient manner and at a
low cost.
My method of treatment consists broadly in first crushing or grinding the peat in
a suitable apparatus, then subjecting it to a process of kneading in another apparatus,
by which, after being kneaded, it is moulded or formed into any desirable shapo and
deposited upon a travelling band or belt, whereby it is carried through a chamber
into which hot or cold dry air is blown at intervals along the sides, top or bottom
thereof, the peat being delivered from this chamber, dry and hard.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown apparatus which can be advantageously
used for the treatment of peat according to my said invention.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing apparatus hereinafter described for
crushing or grinding, kneading and moulding, and drying the peat.
Figure 2 is a plan, and
Figure 3 a vertical longitudinal section of the drying apparatus.
1 take the peat from the bog and place it within a mill comprising a vessel or
chamber A which is preferably of circular form. This chamber is open at its upper
end and has at its lower end a perforated plate B, which is secured by means of
screws or otherwise so as to be capable of removal with facility in case of breakage.
A vertical shaft C is arranged in the centre of the chamber A and is supported in
suitable bearings D, D¹. The shaft C is provided with plates or blades E of steel or
other metal, and has fixed upon its upper end a bevel-wheel F through the medium of
which the said shaft is to be driven by any suitable motor. Plates or blades G of
steel or other metal are, moreover, attached to the interior of the chamber A; and
one or more archimedean screws H are fixed on the lower end of the shaft C. When

page_text: .
the shaft C rotates, the blades E rotate therewith and the peat is crushed or ground
by the action of these blades and of the blades G. As the peat is thus crushed or
ground, it is forced by the screws H through the perforations in the plate B in a
plastic condition, and falls upon a travelling band or belt J whereby it is delivered
into the kneading and moulding apparatus hereinafter described.
This moulding apparatus is formed of a strong chamber K which may be cylindrical,
conical or of other suitable shape, and in the centre of which is a vertical shaft L
provided with a number of arms or blades M of steel or other metal projecting
radially from it at intervals and so arranged thereon as to work between corresponding
arms or blades N attached to the internal surface of the cylinder or chamber K. The
shaft L has fixed on its lower end one or more archimedean screws 0. As the
said shaft rotates, the plastic peat received from the mill is thoroughly kneaded by
the action of the rotating and fixed arms or blades M, N, and is finally forced out by
means of the screws O through a suitably shaped lateral aperture or passage P at the
lower end of the cylinder or chamber K, which ensures the moulding of the plastic
mass into a definite shape. As it passes out of this moulding aperture, the peat is
delivered upon a travelling band or belt Q which passes through the drying machine
or chamber hereinafter described. A knife or a string or wire or other suitable
device is provided at or near the aperture for cutting the mass into suitable blocks or
pieces. This knife or other device is so arranged that it may have imparted to it by
hand or by any suitable mechanism a rectilinear or circular motion, and also a slight
forward motion.
The drying machine consists of a chamber R of any required length (say from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty feet), through which extends the endless band or
belt Q. This band or belt is supported by rollers S or by suitable guides, and
continuous motion is to be imparted to it. The blocks of peat travel upon this band,
the speed of which is so regulated that the peat, in its passage through the chamber,
will be thoroughly dried. Pipes T, T connected with a fan or other blowing machine
open into this chamber, the said pipes being arranged at intervals of about five or
ten feet. Hot or cold air, which may be artificially or otherwise dried, is forced into
the chamber R through these pipes (preferably in the reverse direction to that in
which the peat is travelling) so that the peat, as it is travelling through the said
chamber, is always surrounded by, and subjected to the action of the said air. The
peat-blocks are delivered at the end of this machine in a hard and dry condition ready
for use as fuel or for being charred to form charcoal. It is obvious that, if desired,
more than one kneading and moulding machine may be used, or the kneading and
moulding machine may be provided with more than one moulding aperture, a
corresponding number of travelling bands or belts being used in the drying chamber.
In some cases, I provide a chamber or vessel containing charcoal or other suitable
material through which this air is passed to extract the moisture therefrom before it
enters the drying machine.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use other apparatus than that shown in the
drawing for the treatinent of peat by my improved method or process which, as will
be seen from the foregoing description, is continuous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim :—
First. The improved method or process of treating peat, consisting in first crushing
or grinding the same, then kneading and moulding it and then drying it, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Second. A crushing or grinding mill for the treatment of peat, provided with a
perforated plate and means for forcing the peat through the same, substantially as, and
for the purpose, set forth.
Third. The combination, with an apparatus for kneading and moulding peat, of a
drying chamber and one or more endless bands or belts for carrying the moulded peat
through the said chamber, for the purpose above specified.

page_text: Fourth. A drying chamber provided with means for directing jets of air into the
same at suitable intervals and having one or more travelling bands or belts extending
through it, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The combination of apparatus comprising the crushing or grinding mill, the
kneading and moulding machine, the drying machine and the travelling bands or
belts, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the
purposes specified.
Dated this 7th day of February 1888.
EDWARD ZOHRAB.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.