Improvements in the Production of Briquettes or Blocks of Small Coal, Graphite, Sand and other Substances, and Apparatus for Purpose.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1900
the
Improvements in the Production of Briquettes or Blocks of Small Coal,
Graphite, Sand and other Substances, and Apparatus for
Purpose.
I, MOSES WAISSBEIN, of 9, Great Wulff Street, St. Petersburg, in the Empire
of Russia, Technologist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
When coal, particularly coal which is very liable to cake, is heated, the
following phenomena may be observed:-
(1) At first the water present is evaporated and passes away.
(2) The temperature of the coal being then raised to a certain extent (for
instance in the case of foundry coal, to about 300° C.) the particles of coal
cohere.
(3) It is only after the temperature of the coal has been still further raised
that bitumen is emitted and spreads throughout the mass of coal, causing the
particles to cohere still more tenaciously. The mass then presents on fracture
à smooth and brilliant surface and its individual particles cannot be distinguished.
(4) The temperature of the coal being still further raised, brown bituminous
vapours are emitted; the mass of coal becomes inflated, fuses and acquires a
pasty consistence, and becomes very hard on cooling.
(5) Finally on the heat of the mass being yet further increased, coke is
obtained.
By my present invention I take advantage of the properties of coal as indi-
cated by these phenomena in order to employ coal as a cementing agent by
means of which remarkable results are obtained not only in connection with
the manufacture of coal briquettes but in the agglomeration of various classes
of ore, graphite, sand chamotte etc.
The form and qualities of the product to be obtained and the mode in which
the particular substanes treated is destined to be utilized, are factors determining
whether one or more, or all of the said properties of the coal are to be utilized.
In other words the operation may proceed until, and be arrested when, either
the particles of coal simply cohere without any perceptible emission of bitumen;
or an abundant yield of bitumen occurs; or brown vapours are emitted and
the mass swells, fuses and attains a pasty consistency; or finally without pre-
vious arrest of the operation, the formation of coke is effected.
Thus in the manufacture of briquettes from a single kind of coal or from
various kinds, the small coal or dross if not sufficiently fat by itself may have
mixed with it small cannel coal to serve as the cementing agent, and the mix-
ture is heated until the particles cohere (but not sufficiently to cause the emission
of bituminous vapours) whereupon without permitting the mass to cool sensibly,
it may be compressed in the shape required.
When it is desired to produce bricks of iron or other ore, graphite, coke, sand,
chromate of iron etc., said matters may be mixed in a divided state with small
coal, then heated until bituminous vapours are evolved and thereupon, without

page_text: allowing the mass to cool appreciably, brought to the desired form by com-
pression. Finally when it is necessary to give greater solidity to the product,
the latter may be burnt in suitable furnaces provided for the purpose.
In cases where, the shape of the product being immaterial, the compression of
the mass may be dispensed with (so that the solidity of the product is not there-
by increased) the cementation may be effected by mixing the ore, sand or other
matters with small coal and heating the compound in coking furnaces.
This operation may be effected by the method described in another application
for Letters Patent for "improvements in the distillation of solid and liquid
matters" filed by me on 15th June 1899 No. 12508 according to which invention
the heating is effected by means of gases emitted under the action of heat by
the contained coal and raised to the required temperature.
For the agglomeration of waste small ore the same method may be employed
as for iron ores, and the mass may be compressed until hot.
The object of the aforesaid heating is to bring about the reduction of the ore
which is effected by the heating of the divided ore together with small coal, the
coal emitting gases which reduce the ore by contact therewith. This reaction
is the more efficient, the greater is the heat, while on the other hand in pro-
portion as the temperature rises the yield of gases by the coal diminishes, and
finally ceases altogether. Thus when the emission of the gases arrives at the
maximum, the gases fail altogether.
Now when the heating operation is effected in accordance with the above
mentioned method of distilling, the small coal is the whole time exposed to the
reducing action of the gases and consequently the reduction of the ore does not
cease during the entire period of the operation.
The method to be followed in the briquetting of a compound of the various
substances may be varied according to the qualities to be imparted to the pro-
duct. Thus, when coal-briquettes are manufactured with small coal, destined to
serve as fuel, the briquetting operation is effected in the manner explained
above for the manufacture of briquettes of small coal. To obtain, however,
carbon briquettes (or products of any other shape), the operation may be the
same as for briquettes of graphite, sand and the like.
The apparatus of my invention consists of a vertical cylindrical furnace pro-
vided with horizontal shelves arranged on a helicoidal line and each of the
shape of a quadrant of a circle, the shelves being so disposed that each shelf in
the vertical direction covers about one quarter of the superficial area of the
shelf next below. These shelves are arranged at a certain distance apart and
are each furnished with a rake or scraper mounted on a vertical rotary shaft
supported in bearings in the cover and bottom plate of the furnace and driven
by power.
The mass to be treated is supplied through a hopper at the top of the cylinder
and drops onto the upper shelf from whence it is shovelled or raked off on to
the shelf next below, thence in a similar manner to the next shelf and so on, until
the mass is delivered from the lowest shelf into a chute and thence to the press.
The gases are exhausted into a funnel attached to the cylinder.
The heat required for the treatment of the moving masses, may be supplied
to them either by means of products of combustion, acting through the walls of
the cylinder or by direct contact of hot gases with the matters under treatment,
such gases (which may be generator gas, water gas, carbonic oxide or the like)
being supplied by a tube communicating with the interior of the cylinder.
The heating in this furnace of small waste iron ores with small coal as a
cementing agent is for the purpose of reducing the ore, the heating being
effected by conveying into the furnace, generator gas, water gas etc., or a gas
constituting the product of the decomposition of the small coal in admixture
with the ore and serving as a cementing agent, conformably with the method
described in the above mentioned application for Letters Patent.
In the case of the manufacture of patent fuel, the heating is effected by the

page_text: caloric of the hot gases, emitted by the coal contained in the compound and
serving as a cementing agent, that is to say the heating is effected in the same
manner as is described in the aforesaid application for Letters Patent.
Dated this 15th November 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in the Production of Briquettes or Blocks of Small Coal,
Graphite, Sand and other Substances, and Apparatus for the
Purpose.
I, MOSES WAISSBEIN, of 9, Great Wulff Street, St. Petersburg, in the Empire
of Russia, Technologist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
When coal, particularly very caking coal, is heated, the following phenomena
may be observed:-
1. At the outset aqueous vapors are emitted.
2. The temperature of the coal being then raised to a certain extent (for
instance by means of forge coal, to about 300° C.) the particles of coal cohere.
3. It is only after the temperature of the coal has been still further raised
that the coal begins to yield bitumen which spreads throughout the mass of
coal, causing the particles to cohere still more tenaciously. The mass then
presents on fracture a smooth and brilliant surface and its individual particles
cannot be distinguished.
4. The temperature of the coal being still further raised, brown bituminous
vapours are emitted; the mass of coal becomes inflated, fuses and acquires a
pasty consistence, and becomes very hard on cooling.
5. Finally, on the heat of the mass being yet further increased coke is obtained.
By my present invention I take advantage of the properties of coal as indicated
by these phenomena, in order to utilise coal as a cementing agent by means of
which remarkable results are obtained not only in the manufacture of coal
briquettes, but in the agglomeration of various classes of ore with or without
the addition of fluxes, or for the agglomeration of graphite or of sand, or of
burnt and crushed fire clay known as chamotte or of mixtures thereof, briquettes
of sand, chamotte and chrome iron ore being intended for use as bricks for
masonry. Bricks of chrome iron ore can be used for instance in Siemens Martin
furnaces.
The properties of the substance to be treated and the form and qualities of
the product to be obtained are factors determining which and whether one or
more or all of the said properties of the coal is or are to be utilised. In other
words, the operation may proceed until, and be arrested when, either the par-
ticles of coal simply cohere without any perceptible yield of bitumen: or an
abundant yield of bitumen occurs; or brown vapours are emitted and the mass
swells, fuses, and attains a pasty consistency; or finally, without previous arrest
of the operation, the formation of coke is effected.
Thus, in the manufacture of briquettes from one kind, or from various kinds
of small coal, the small coal or dross if not sufficiently fat by itself may have
mixed with it small cannel coal to serve as the cementing agent, and the mixture
is heated until the particles cohere (but not sufficiently to cause the emission of

page_text: bituminous vapours), whereupon without permitting the mass to cool sensibly,
it may be compressed in the shape required.
When it is desired to produce bricks of iron or other ore, graphite, coke,
sand, chromate of iron, etc. said matters may be mixed in a divided state with
small coal, then heated until bituminous vapours are evolved, and thereupon,
without allowing the mass to cool appreciably brought to the desired form by
compression. Finally when it is necessary to give greater strength or solidity to
the product, the latter may be fired in suitable kilns provided for the purpose.
As regards the proportions of the ingredients to be employed in producing
the above described briquettes or blocks by the use of coal as a cementing sub-
stance, it is to be observed that they will necessarily depend upon the quality
of this cementing substance (coal), upon the properties of the materials to be
cemented, and upon the desired solidity or durability of the product.
The cementing quality of coal, even of the same kind or sort is not constant,
it diminishes for instance if the coal is allowed to lay in heaps. The properties
of the materials to be treated, as well as the size, density and durability of the
blocks to be produced, are also variable factors affecting the proportions of the
cementing material to be used. As regards solidity or durability it may be
mentioned that briquettes intended for transportation must be more solid than
those intended to be used when produced, and if it be considered that the pro-
portions of the cementing material depend also upon the degree of pressure, the
time of heating the mass and the temperature of the furnace, it will be evident
that the proportions of the ingredients employed in producing the briquettes or
blocks can only be indicated within very wide limits, and that in each case the
most suitable proportions of the cementing material must be ascertained and
determined beforehand by laboratory tests.
It has been found by experience that for instance that by mixing 50% of iron
ore (hematite) with 50% of small coal or slack as used by blacksmiths, briquettes
of very good quality are obtained with a trifling pressure of 5 atmospheres, and
by heating the mass for only 5 minutes the quantity of coal could be greatly
reduced, but the proportion stated (50%) was used because the briquettes were
designed for smelting purposes.
For the manufacture of briquettes from chrome iron ore an addition of 10%
of small coal or slack has been found sufficient. 15% of ordinary coal (machinery
coal) with 85% of anthracite produce very good briquettes, but it must again be
observed that the proportions of the ingredients employed in producing the
briquettes or blocks may vary in very large limits.
In cases where the shape of the product being immaterial, the compression
of the mass may be dispensed with (so that the solidity of the product is not
thereby increased) the cementation may be effected by mixing the ore, sand,
or other matters with small coal and heating the compound in special ovens
similar to coking ovens. This operation may be effected by the method described
in another application for Letters Patent for "improvements in the distillation
of solid and liquid matters," filed by me on 15th June 1899, No. 12,508, accord-
ing to which invention the heating is effected by means of gases emitted under
the action of heat by the contained coal and raised to the required temperature.
The mass from the furnace is in a pasty condition and on cooling it becomes
solid and hard in a very short time, and therefore the heated mass needs only
to be moulded in order to obtain blocks of regular form. It is obvious that the
degree of pressure depends upon the consistency of the heated mass, which in
its turn depends upon the quality and proportions of the admixture of coal.
For the agglomeration of waste small ore, the same method may be employed
as for iron ores, and the mass may be compressed while hot. The object of the
aforesaid heating is to bring about the reduction of the ore which is effected by
the heating of the divided ore together with small coal, the coal emitting gases
which reduce the ore by contact therewith.
This reaction is the more efficient, the greater is the heat, while on the other

page_text: hand in proportion as the temperature rises the yield of gases by the coal
diminishes, and finally ceases. Thus when the action of the gases attains the
maximum of efficiency, the gases fail altogether. On the other hand when the
heating operation is effected in accordance with the above mentioned method of
distilling, the small coal is exposed for the whole time to the reducing action of
the gases and consequently the reduction of the ore does not cease during the
entire period of the operation.
The method to be followed in the briquetting of a compound of substances of
analogous nature may be varied according to the qualities to be imparted to the
product resulting from the agglomeration or cementing together of such sub-
stances. Thus when coal briquettes are manufactured with small coal, destined
to serve as fuel, the briquetting operation is effected in the manner explained
above for the manufacture of briquettes of small coal. To obtain however car-
bon briquettes (or products of any other shape) the operation may be the same
as for briquettes of graphite, sand and the like.
The accompanying drawing illustrates a retort for heating the substances to
form briquettes, these substances being either small coal or a mixture of small
coal with another substance such as ore, sand or the like, Figure 1 being a vertical
sectional elevation on line K M Figure 2, which is a plan with the top removed.
The retort which may be constructed of brick-work or sheet metal, consists of
a vertical cylinder provided with horizontal shelves B helically arranged and
each of the shape of a sector or quadrant circle, the shelves being so disposed
that each shelf overlaps about one fourth of the shelf next below. These shelves
are arranged at a certain distance apart and are each swept over by a rake b,
-the fakes being carried by a central vertical rotary shaft C supported in bear-
ings in the cover and bottom plate of the cylinder and driven by power. The
mass to be treated is supplied through a hopper A and drops on to the upper
shelf B from whence it is raked off on to the shelf next below, thence in a similar
manner to the next shelf and so on, until the mass is delivered from the lowest
shelf into a chute D and thence conveyed to the press. The gases are exhausted
through a conduit F connected to the upper part of the cylinder.
The heat required for the treatment of the moving masses, may be supplied
either through the walls of the retort or by direct contact of hot gases with the
matters under treatment, such gases (which may be generator gas, water gas,
carbonic oxide or the like) being supplied through a tube E leading into the
lower part of the cylinder. In the treatment in this retort of small or waste iron
ore with small coal as a cementing agent, the heating has for object the reduction
of the ore and is effected by supplying to the retort generator gas, water gas etc.,
or by the gas constituting the product of distillation of the small coal in admix-
ture with the ore and serving as a cementing agent, conformably with the method
described in the above mentioned application for Letters Patent.
In the manufacture of patent fuel, the heating is effected by the caloric of the
hot gases emitted by the coal contained in the mixture and serving as a cement-
ing agent, that is to say the heating is effected in the same manner as is de-
scribed in the aforesaid application for Letters Patent.
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 herein described method of making briquettes of small cual, coke,
sand, or other substances, which method consists in mixing such substances with
small coal to serve as a cementing agent, heating the mixture and compressing
the same substantially as described.
2. The modification of the method referred to in Claim 1, which consists in
burning or firing the briquettes after compressing them as described.
3. The modification of the method referred to in Claim 1 which consists in
the omission of the compression operation after heating.

page_text: 4. The modification of the method referred to in Claims 1, 2, 3, which con-
sists in the heating of the compound containing small coal, by the heat of the
hot gases introduced into the retort or furnace and those emitted as products
of the distillation of the small coal contained in the mixture and serving as a
cementing agent.
5. A retort for the treatment of the matters herein referred to, consisting of
an upright cylinder provided with internal shelves arranged in helical series
and with rotary rakes sweeping over such shelves so as to transfer the matters
from shelf to shelf in succession, the heat required for the treatment of the
matters being transmitted through the walls of the retort or directly introduced
by hot gases supplied to the retort as described.
Datod Auust 15th 1900
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.