CERTAIN IMPROVED METHODS AND MACHINERY FOR THE PREPARATION OF PEAT AS A FUEL, AND IN COMBINATION WITH CERTAIN SUBSTANCES AS A COMPOST OR MANURE
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JASPER
WHEELER ROGERS, of Nottingham Street, in the City of Dublin, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the First day of June, in the eleventh year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Jasper
Wheeler Rogers, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein men-
tioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVED METHODS AND
MACHINERY FOR THE PREPARATION OF PEAT AS A FUEL, AND IN COMBINATION WITH
CERTAIN SUBSTANCES AS A COMPOST OR MANURE;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the

page_text: date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said George
Wheeler Rogers, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
This Invention refers, firstly, to a series of operations constituting a new
system of preparing peat as a fuel suitable for furnaces and fireplaces, which
fuel, in a charred state, is particularly applicable to the manufacture of metals,
for forge fires, for founders' use in moulding, and for pyrotechnical and other
purposes; secondly, this Invention refers to the manufacture from peat of
granulated charcoal, and to the admixture thereof with animal excrement, for
the purpose of deodorizing the same, and making a diluted inodorous manure.
In the accompanying Drawings the apparatus which I employ in carrying
out the various operations constituting the new system of preparing peat is
clearly shewn. Before commencing to cut peat in large quantities from a bog
or peat moss it is first necessary to drain the bog, so that the operation of
cutting may be more safely and advantageously carried out; and this I am
generally enabled to do at the time of cutting the peat for manufacturing pur-
poses, without a separate outlay for draining, by proceeding in the following
manner: After having ascertained the level of the bog, so as to find the natural
outfall for the water, I begin the cutting by taking out blocks of peat averaging
from four to six inches long by three to four inches square, to be converted into
fuel. I make those cuttings so as to form a number of trenches of any given
length, and as nearly parallel to each other as the position and circumstances of
the land will allow, commencing as near as possible to the natural outfall.
These trenches I vary from one hundred to one thousand feet or more apart,
according to the nature and depth of the bog; and in the first instance I form
them about four feet wide and four feet deep, a sufficient fall or slant being
given to each drain to draw off from the bog the water which may run into the
trenches. By referring to Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings the a
ment of the cuttings, which are shewn in plan view and sectional elevation, and
also the system pursued in deepening the trenches as the upper part of the bog
is removed, will be clearly understood. These trenches having been multiplied,
and cut to a length sufficient to drain that portion of the bog, which is to be
first cleared, I then remove the upper crust or surface of the peat moss trans-
versely for about one fourth of the space between the trenches to the depth at
arrange-

page_text: first of about two feet, and this I continue to remove alternately the peat from
the trenches longitudinally, and from the intermediate part of the bog trans-
versly, cutting each about two feet deep, by which means I prevent the bog
from falling in by lateral pressure, and effect the drainage of the whole by the
terraces or steps which are thus formed by degrees in the bog, and which pro-
vide for the drainage of the water from the general mass.
After this process
has been carried into effect over the whole surface of the peat, moss, or bog to
be reclaimed, then the surface or crust which has been left uncut between the
trenches is cut away over the whole extent of the bog under reclamation, com-
meucing at the points nearest to the natural outfall. When the surface or
crust has been removed, the second step or terrace is removed in the same way,
then the third and fourth, until the entire is taken away, and the substratum
can be then made fit for cultivation. Having explained the mode which I
prefer in cutting the peat from the bog, I will now proceed to describe the
means employed for drying and preparing the peat.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent a portable shed, to
be made of wood or wickerwork as most convenient, open at the ends and sides,
but having a waterproof covering at top of any convenient flexible material,
and which hangs over the side. This shed is intended to receive the blocks of
peat soon after they are cut from the bog, in order that they may be partially
dried by the action of the wind. The blocks are placed, immediately upon
being cut from the bog, on trays a, a, which may be made of wood or wire
or wickerwork, as most convenient, similar to that shewn at Figure 3, and the
trays are piled one above the other in the portable shed b, b, to the sides of
which handles c, c, are attached, for carrying the shed from one place to
another, or its bottom framing may be furnished with wheels if thought
necessary. The sheds are placed in exposed positions, so that the air may
circulate around and through them, and thereby drive off the moisture
from the peat. When the peat has been thus exposed for a few days, according
to the season and state of the weather, the shed, with its load, is removed to
the drying station, where it is unpacked, and the peat is piled up in clamps to
receive an artificial drying in the manner following, now to be explained.
In Sheet III. one of the kilns or frames in which the peat is piled up to
receive the artificial drying is shewn in several views. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal
elevation, partly in section, the better to shew the interior arrangement; Fig. 2
is an end view; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1;
and Fig. 4 is a plan view with a portion of the outer casing removed. This
kiln or drying shed is erected over an excavation made in the ground, and forming
a continuous ashpit from one end to the other of the shed. The sides of the pit

page_text: are secured by brickwork or masonry, and on either side a rail is laid to form a
way for the ready passage over the pit of a series of furnaces or chambers A, A, A,
intended to receive the peat which is to be charred, and which, when ignited,
gives off heat sufficient to dry the peat piled within the shed. These furnaces
or chambers A are formed of sheet iron or any other suitable material, having
a quadrangular framing at bottom provided with five bars or perforated plates,
or other similar contrivance, as may be found most convenient. The sides
of these chambers incline inwards pyramidically, but, although I prefer square
based chambers or furnaces, I at times use circular based or conically
shaped furnaces, which are desirable and effective. Each chamber is made
moveable by being mounted on wheels or otherwise, so as to be taken out
of the air chamber to admit of the peat being packed in the chamber or
furnace, which is done most conveniently by turning it over on its side and
packing it through the bottom. These furnaces A are placed within a space
or chamber formed by slanting iron plates B, B, placed immediately over the
ash pit, and forming a continuous air chamber from one end to the other of the
kiln or shed. B*, B*, are doors for closing the ends of the chambers, which
must be of a sufficient capacity to allow of an air space all round each furnace.
The plates B, B, are pierced with rows of holes, decreasing gradually in diame-
ter upwards. The fire boxes are stationed at equal distances apart on the line
or tramway, and immediately beneath vertical pipes or funnels C, C, C, attached
to the upper part of the chamber formed of the plates B, B. These pipes are
intended to receive and surround the several pipes D, D, D, which carry off tlic
smoke and gases from the burning fuel within the fire boxes. The upper end of
cach of the pipes C, C, C, is closed so as to confine the heated air which would
otherwise rapidly pass off, but an opening is made in the cover or closing plate
to allow of the pipes D, D, D, sliding up and down freely in guides provided
for that purpose. The object of giving the pipes D this motion is, that they
may be drawn upwards out of the way of the fire boxes as they are moved
into the shed, but when these boxes are arranged in their proper positions the
pipes D are lowered so as to fit over the circular opening formed in the top of
the fire boxes as before mentioned. E, E, E, are beams which form the skeleton
of the frame on which the peat is piled. The peat to be dried is piled up on
either side of the air chamber B, B, and to such a height as the shed admits
of; and in order to keep rain or the moist atmosphere from falling upon the
peat, and yet allow the wind to act upon it when artificial heat is not being
employed, a covering composed of a series of shutters H, H, I, overlapping
each other when closed somewhat like a venetian blind, is constructed, which
may be readily opened or closed at pleasure. These shutters are made of any

page_text: convenient length (two, three, or more sets placed side by side will be required
to cover the whole of one side of a shed), and they are furnished at their ends
with pivots which drop into sockets cut in the sides of the slanting beams
E, E, E, as shewn at Fig. 3, and support them in their places. d, d, are rods
which are temporarily connected to the ends of the shutters, and are intended
to open and close a series of them simultaneously by the action of a lever b. c, c,
are legs which hang from the underside of the shutters, and lie in a recess cut
in the shutters to receive them when the shutters are closed, but when the
shutters are opened the legs c keep them in that position by resting respectively
on the shutter immediately below; by this means a sort of ladder is formed up
the outer side of the shed, and the workman is thereby greatly facilitated in
the operation of filling in the peat. In effecting the piling of the peat he
proceeds in the following manner-He first covers the floor of the shed and
kiln with the blocks, and piles them up as high as he can conveniently
reach; he then puts the lowest shutter in its place by dropping its pivots
into the sockets cut in the side framing of the shed, and places a block
or blocks a (see Fig. 3) under the shutter to keep it up and form a step;
the upper shutters, having legs c, c, as before stated, are then applied as
required, and form steps for the workman to reach his work with convenience.
He then proceeds alternately to pile up the blocks of peat in the shed, and to
apply the shutters until the shed is filled and the shutters are all put in their
places. The side rods d for opening and closing the shutters are then attached,
and the artificial drying is ready to be commenced. The ashpit is entered by the
door I, and the peat in the fire boxes or chambers A is fired from beneath the
fire bars; the dampers d* situated immediately above the pipes D, being
raised by means of their respective rods e to effect a proper draught for
ignition, and closed down tightly when the fires are required to be extinguished.
As soon as the peat to form the charcoal is fired care must be taken to
regulate the combustion, so that it shall proceed slowly according to the
ordinary mode of charcoal burning. This may be readily effected by means of
the ashpit door I and the dampers d*, which place the operation completely
under the command of the attendant. By referring to the Drawings it will be
seen that while the fires are being supplied with air (which passes along the
asbpit and between the fire bars) the chamber formed by the plates B, B, also
receives a supply, and this air, being in contact with the heated surfaces of the
fire boxes and the flues, will become quickly heated, and pass off through the
holes in the plates B, B, and distribute itself through the mass of piled peat; at
the same time the air surrounding the fire boxes will form a packing, and
prevent the peat which is near the fire boxes from being burnt or injuriously

page_text: affected by the contiguous fires.
When the heated air is distributed through
the mass of peat it will quickly drive off the greater portion of the aqueous
particles which remained therein from the first drying operation, and complete
the preparation of the peat for domestic or ordinary uses. When I do no
apply the heat obtained from the burning of charcoal (in the furnaces) I
employ a blast of air for drying the peat. For this purpose I mount a fan
wheel on a shaft in connection with the air chamber B, and drive it with
a great velocity, taking care that there shall be no vent for the wind but
through the perforations in the plates of the air chamber. The blast will thus
be distributed equally through the mass of peat, and drive off the vapour, or
instead thereof I make an the fan an exhausting fan, and produce a partial
vacuum in the chamber B, the effect of which induces a current of air to flow
through the pile of peat, and the aqueous particles flow into the chamber.
When large quantities of peat are required to be dried, instead of employing
distinct sheds for every pile of peat, as seen in Sheet III., I provide a general
covering or roof of any given extent, the sides being formed of shutters, acting
in the same manner as before described, and beneath this roof I build up the
heaps of peat upon the same plan and principle, but varying the breadth and
length and height of the heaps according to the size and number of the furnaces
which I use.
In Sheet II. the arrangement for a large drying station is shewn. Fig. 4 is
a vertical section taken through six rows of piled peat placed side by side, but
having a free space all round for the escape of vapour. Fig. 5 is a longitudi-
nal section taken through the first row, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section
taken through the fourth row. The object of these two sections is to shew that
the fire chambers for charring the peat and converting it into fuel may either
be moveable or stationary, but at large drying stations I prefer to use both
plans, inasmuch as the blast_of_cold_air_or_the_exhausting-mode-of-drying-
(which modes may probably be most resorted to when large quantities of peat
are not required to be charred) can be best applied to those rows of peat which
have the air chambers cleared of the fire boxes, whereas the stationary fire
chambers will be less expensive to build, and some will necessarily be con-
tinuously in use for preparing the charcoal. By referring to Fig. 4 it will be
seen that the peat is piled upon slanting beds or frames, and thus the air is
allowed to circulate under as well as around the peat. The stationary fire
chamber (see Fig. 6) has one flue at its end, and it is filled up with peat
by a workman from below, who takes the peat from trucks pushed forward
to him on a rail or tram road laid down on the bottom of the ash pit. The fire
bars of the fire chamber are removeable. The workman first inserts a few fire

page_text: bars to form a bed, and then piles the peat thereupon, and this he continues
until he has nearly filled the chamber, a space being however left in the upper
part of the chamber to form a horizontal flue in connection with the vertical
flue, which is provided with a damper to regulate the draft of air to the
5 fire. The complete filling of the chamber (as far as requisite), and the inser-
tion of the remaining bars, may be effected by opening a door in the end of
the chamber. It will now be understood that the drying process under the
general roof is, in effect, the same as that before described in connexion with
the single roof, the preference of one plan over the other being determined
merely by the amount of work required to be done at the drying station.
It is well known that for furnaces or enclosed fireplaces, where the draft is
strong, a greater density of fuel is required than the usual peat charcoal naturally
possesses, it is therefore necessary for certain purposes to submit the peat to
pressure to consolidate the particles, which consolidation is essential to
the production of dense or consolidated charcoal, and this is also par-
ticularly necessary when close stowage of fuel is an object, as, for instance, in
steam vessels.
1
To effect the consolidation of the peat, and consequently of the charcoal,
I employ an arrangement of machinery shewn in several views in Sheet IV.,
wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of the presser. Fig. 2 is a front view partly in
section, and shewn in connection with a steam engine for working, but it may
be worked by manual or any other power. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the
presser, and Fig. 4 is a partial section taken through the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
a, a, are cast iron standards attached to a bedplate, and forming the main framing
of the machine. At the top of the standards a short shaft b is mounted, which
carries an oscillating beam c, c, in connection with the piston rod of the adja-
cent steam engine. d, d, is a shaft which passes between the standards a, at
right angles to the shaft c, and rests in suitable bearings connected therewith.
This shaft at either end supports the wheels e, e, which turn loosely thereon,
and at their periphery arc furnished with a series of radiating rectangular
moulds, open at their ends and intended to receive the peat to be pressed.
These wheels are so constructed that they will revolve freely and yet allow of
the side pieces g, g, of the standards projecting out so as to form a temporary
bottom to cach mould as it comes by the revolution of the wheel over such
projecting parts, which on their upper face are slightly curved, and fit against
the inner ends of the moulds. Pendant from the beam c are two plungers h, h,
which are situated over their respective wheels e, e, and are intended, as they
are alternately depressed by the oscillation of the beam c, to enter the moulds
of the wheel e (when they are brought over the projecting pieces g, of the

page_text: standards), and compress the peat which has been previously put into the
moulds by hand. To facilitate the entrance of the plungers into the moulds,
the upper ends of the moulds are provided with lips inclining outwards and
forming guide pieces. The plungers h, h, are attached to the beam c by pivots,
which enter slotted bearings as shewn, and an elasticity is given to the pressure
of the plunger by means of a strong spring i, inserted in a recess in the
beam c, and acting upon the inner end of the plungers. When, therefore, by
reason of a piece of the peat of an extra size being put into moulds, the
plunger would, according to its usual adjustment, impart too great a pressure
to the peat, the plunger will rise in its socket, and the compression of the
spring will absorb the extra amount of pressure. In order to give a rotating
intermittent motion to the wheels (which is necessary to bring the moulds
round and stay their progress while the pressing operation is being per-
formed) I adopt the following means:-In the face, of each of the wheels e
a zigzag groove k is formed, as shewn at Fig. 1, and in the grooves the
pins respectively work. m, m, are pendant rods jointed to the beam c,
At about a middle of
and receiving a reciprocating motion therefrom.
their length they carry the pins 1, and at their lower ends work respec-
n, n, are ratchet
tively through guides or eyes in the ends of the shaft d.
rings bolted to the face of the wheels e; and a pawl or click o, jointed to
an arm p, which is supported loosely on the shaft d, takes into the teeth of
the ratchet ring. A coiled spring 9 forms an elastic connection between the
arm-p
and-the-pendant-rod, the use of which will be presently understood.
Attached to the rod m is a finger r, which, as the rod descends by the oscillation
of the lever c, comes into contact with the arm p and forces it down, together
This
with its pawl o, which slides over several teeth in the ratchet ring n.
movement of the rod m causes the pin to traverse the radial portion of the
zigzag groove and assume its lowest position; but the same movement of the
beam-c which brings down the rod m also forces the plunger h into the
mould f; the rising of the rod m and the plunger will therefore be simul-
taneous, and by the connection of the spring q with the arm p' and rod m the
wheel e will no sooner be free to move than the click o, having an upward
impulse from the spring 7, will push the wheel round sufficiently to bring the
next succeeding mould under the plunger, the pin in the meantime will
traverse the inclined portion of the zigzag.groove, and, when arrived at its
highest position, will act as a stop to the further movement of the wheel. In
order to effect the operation of pressing the peat with the least possible exertion
of power I employ an exhausting apparatus simultaneously with the pressing
apparatus, and thus I am enabled to draw out the air, and any aqueous matter

page_text: that may yet remain in the peat, at the time that the plunger is descending
upon the block of peat. It will therefore be understood that the plunger will
only have to overcome the resistance of the bulk of the solid matters, instead of, as
heretofore, meeting with the resistance of air and water, which cannot without
great difficulty be expelled from peat, or any other similar mass, by pressure.
The exhaustion is effected in the following manner:-The parts g, g, of the
standards are each pierced with channels radiating upwards, and form a pierced
bed or bottom for their respective sets of moulds as the moulds severally como
under the plungers. Three channels are connected with a pipe s, one for each
bed piece g, and these pipes lead severally to an exhaust cylinder t (see Fig. 4),
provided with a valve opening outwards, and also with a piston and piston rod.
The piston rods of the two cylinders are connected to opposite ends of a rocking
lever u, which has it fulcrum on a shaft v,' and on the same shaft is an arm w
(see Fig. 2), attached by a connecting rod x to an army on the shaft b; when,
therefore, the plungers, by the rocking of the beam c on its shaft b, arc
depressed, a corresponding motion will be given to the exhaust pistons, which
will draw the air or water from the moulds into the cylinders t, and on rising
force it out at the valves thereof. The compression of the fuel will cause
it to remain in the moulds after the pressure is withdrawn; the plungers Z
are therefore provided for clearing out the mould. These plungers are jointed
to vibrating levers 2*, on the shaft v, and move simultaneously with the piston
rods. They are guided in their vertical motions by their rods forming a link,
the straight sides of which work in grooves cut in the boss of the wheel e,
which boss they embrace. The plungers z are so situated as to act upon the
compressed peat in the moulds, when the moulds attain their lowest position
in their rotation, and the compressed blocks of peat are thrust out of the moulds
into baskets placed for their reception. In order to solidify the dust or
small particles of peat charcoal (which, in the general manufacture, is produced
in large quantities), and render it applicable as a fuel, I intermix with the dust
or small particles mucilaginous matters composed of animal or vegetable
gluten, albumen, or starch, in the proportions of about two parts of glutinous
or mucilaginous matters to about eight parts of charcoal. This operation may
be advantageously effected by means of an ordinary pug-mill, and by the
employment of a moulding machine in connection therewith, or by panel
moulding. The combined charcoal may be moulded into bricks or cakes, or
into forms to resemble wood, which are then dried by any convenient means.
The second head of my Invention refers, as before stated, to the manufacture
of granulated peat charcoal, to be used as a deodorizing agent, and, in com-
bination with certain substances, as a compost or manure. It is well known

page_text: that as a general manure that which contains the largest amount of ammoniacal
salts is the most valuable; but, inasmuch as these salts are very volatile, they
are generally lost by evaporation according to the present mode of treating
and using, as a manure animal excrement, which contains these valuable
properties in abundance. It is also known that animal excrement cannot be
properly used as a manure without dilution. Now, I have ascertained by many
experiments that peat charcoal possesses considerably greater absorbing
powers than the generality of wood charcoal, and that by reason of the strong
affinity which exists between carbon and ammoniacal and other gases, the
odours arising from animal excrement are taken up and destroyed when contact
and intimate admixture with the charcoal takes place. In manufacturing the
peat into granulated charcoal to be used as an absorbent of the ammoniacal
gases arising from animal excrement, and for diluting the same sufficiently to
make a useful marketable manure, I proceed in the manner before described
for the obtaining peat charcoal, and, when so obtained, I subject it to the
operation of grinding until it is reduced to grains about equal in size to those
of coarse gunpowder. I then employ it in the following manner :-In order to
retain all the. volatile products and other fertilizing properties, so as to apply
them beneficially to the purposes of agriculture, I intermix, by hand labor, or by
any convenient machine, granulated peat charcoal with animal excrement,
using the charcoal in such quantities as will be sufficient to absorb the aqueous
and volatile products of the excrement, and destroy the effluvium. To obtain
these results, and prepare a marketable manure of such a strength as will be
immediately available for agricultural purposes, I add to the excrement an
amount of peat charcoal exceeding in weight that of the excrement; thus I find
that two parts by weight of charcoal and one part by weight of excrement from
towns will produce an inodorous manure; but I do not confine myself to those
proportions, so long as the desired result is obtained by adding an excess by
weight of peat charcoal to animal excrement. By this means I obtain an
apparently dry powdered inodorous mixture of sufficient strength (or rather
dilution) to be advantageously applied either to arable or pasture land, and
which is capable of transport in barrels or sacks by the ordinary modes of con-
veyance. To prevent the evils which arise from the odours of animal excrement
of towns I apply granulated charcoal to the separate receptacles for such matters,
either in the entire quantum required to destroy the effluvium, or in such quantity
as will prevent injurious exhalation, and thus render it more convenient for trans-
port to a place where the process of perfect mixing can be conveniently
carried into effect; peat charcoal in lumps, or in small unequally sized pieces, or
in fine dust, will absorb the aqueous and volatile products of animal excrement,

page_text: and destroy the effluvium to a certain extent, varying according to the mode
and form of application; but I prefer to employ the granulated peat charcoal
for that purpose, as well as for preparing the compost or manure. Peat charcoal
may likewise be advantageously employed as an absorbent of the sewage water
from farmyards and stables, and also as an absorbent of other kinds of liquid
manure.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it, to be understood, that, under the above described
Letters Patent, I claim,-
Firstly, as respects the drying of peat, the employment of moveable sheds
for protecting the trays of cut peat from the weather, and yet allowing a cur-
rent of air to pass between and over the layers of peat, so as to partially dry
the peat before it is removed from the bog lands to the station.
Secondly, I claim the peculiar construction of drying shed above described,
with reference to Sheet III. of the Drawings for drying peat (whether such
shed be made to contain one or more clamps or heaps of piled peat), whereby
the peat will be protected from the weather; the moisture, when driven off from
the peat, will be allowed to escape into the atmosphere; and, when required, air
be allowed to circulate freely around the pile of peat.
may
I also claim the arrangements of fire chambers (or charcoal burning chambers)
and air chambers, shewn in Sheets II. and III. or any analogous arrangements
whereby I am enabled to avail myself of the heat given off by the charred
peat for evaporating the moisture from fresh cut peat.
And further, I claim the use of the perforated chamber B, Sheet III.,
and fan wheels, for extracting or evaporating the moisture from, piles of peat
by exhaustion, or by the application thereto of a blast of air.
And, as respects the manufacture of charcoal, whether for the purpose of
fuel or as an ingredient for a manure, I claim the charring of peat in cham-
bers or vessels as above described, whereby the admission of air thereto, when
the combustion of the peat has proceeded to an extent sufficient to produce
carbonization, may be readily cut off, and the fire quickly extinguished.
With respect to the machinery for compressing peat fuel, I claim the
arrangement of parts constituting the compressing machine as described with
reference to Sheet IV. of the Drawings.
And particularly, I claim the application to such machine of an exhausting
apparatus, whereby the extraction of the air and aqueous particles contained
in the substance under operation, may be effected simultaneously with the
compression of the mass.
And lastly, as respects the combination of peat charcoal with certain sub-
°

page_text: stances as a compost or manure, I would remark, that I am aware it has been
proposed to mix with earths and a variety of refusé materials charcoal dust,
charred saw dust, and other analogous vegetable matters in small quantities;
but this has been rather for the economical employment of the charcoal dust and
other analogous matters which would be otherwise useless, than for effecting a
defined and previously unattained object. I therefore wish it to be understood
that I lay no claim to the broad principle of employing peat charcoal as an
element in the manufacture of manure. But I claim the application of peat
charcoal (granulated I prefer) to animal excrement, in such quantities as shall
deodorize the same by chemically retaining the volatile gases in the manure;
and also the admixture of peat charcoal in such quantities and proportions
with animal excrement as shall produce a dry pulverulent manure, suitable,
without the addition of other ingredients, to the manuring of arable and
meadow land.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.
IBALD H. GODDARD,
Extra. in Ireland for the
t of Chancery
in
England.
JASPER WHEELER (L.s.) ROGERS.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-fifth day of
November, in the year above-mentioned, the aforesaid Jasper Wheeler Rogers 2
came before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged tho
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.