IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SPOIL HEAPS OF COLLIERIES WHEREBY A PART OF THE VOLATILE PRODUCTS CONTAINED IN THEM MAY BE RECOVERED AND THE NUISANCE ARISING FROM THE COMBUSTION MAY BE DIMINISHED, TH IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE TREATMENT OF PEAT AND OTHER CARBONACEOUS MATTERS
Year: 1882

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Lawrence Hill Armour of 16 West Street, Gateshead-
on-Tyne in the County of Durham Civil Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SPOIL HEAPS OF COLLIERIES WHEREBY
A PART OF THE VOLATILE PRODUCTS CONTAINED IN THEM MAY BE RECOVERED
AND THE NUISANCE ARISING FROM THE COMBUSTION MAY BE DIMINISHED,
THIS INVENTION IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE TREATMENT OF PEAT AND OTHER
CARBONACEOUS MATTERS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lawrence Hill Armour at.
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1882.
LAWRENCE HILL ARMOUR of 16 West Street Gateshead-on-Tyne. in the County:
of Durham. Civil Engineer.-IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SPOIL HEAPS'
OF COLLIERIES WHEREBY A PART OF THE VOLATILE PRODUCTS CONTAINED IN THEM
MAY BE RECOVERED AND THE NUISANCE ARISING FROM THE COMBUSTION MAY BE
DIMINISHED THIS INVENTION IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE TREATMENT OF PEAT:
AND OTHER CARBONACEOUS MATTERS.
My Invention consists in the insertion of a tube or tubes similar to those used
for artisian mills, or other perforated tubes into the spoil heaps of coal and other
pits either directly or through the ground below and thence into the heap at as,
many points as may seem desirable and by means of gentle exhaustion drawing
thereby the gaseous products arising from the ignition of the heap while for the;
greater production of these products in a pure state the heap should be covered.
with turf, or other close compacted and inert matter such as earth, or the refuse
from a previously burnt heap, by this means at the same time the nuisance
arising from smoke and the escape of distilled matters is avoided or greatly
diminished.
.
The heap may be either fired at one end and the heat made to travel along:
the heap, if in an extended line, or it may be fired at the crown and the exhaustion
be altogether downwards this is also applicable to heaps already on fire.

page_text: The condensable products can be condensed in the usual way and the fixed
gasses used either to auginent.the heat of the burning heap or in the manufacture
of the residuals or otherwise as local circumstances deterinine.
This Invention may be used, in the treatment of waste heaps at Collieries,
Ironstone mines or other deposits of carbonaceous refuse or for the treatment of
peat in situ without the cost and delay of digging drying, and placing in an oven
or for the treatment of heaps of waste cuttings sawdust and bark resulting from
deforesting operations.
¡SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lawrence Hill Armour in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th June 1883.
LAWRENCE HILL ARMOUR of 16 West Street Gateshead-on-Tyne in the County
of Durham Civil Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SPOIL HEAPS
OF COLLIERIES WHEREBY A PART OF THE VOLATILE PRODUCTS CONTAINED IN THEM
MAY BE RECOVERED AND THE NUISANCE ARISING FROM THE COMBUSTION MAY BE
DIMINISHED, THIS INVENTION IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE TREATMENT OF PEAT
AND OTHER CARBONACEOUS MATTERS
""
My Invention consists in the insertion of a tube or tubes similar to those used
for Artesian Wells or other perforated tubes into the Spoil heaps of coal and other
pits either directly or through the ground below and thence into the heap at as
many points as may seem desirable and, by means of gentle exhaustion drawing
thereby the gaseous products. arising from the ignition of the beap while for the
greater production of these products in a pure state the heap should be covered
with turf or other close compacted and inert matter such as earth or the refuse
from a previously burnt heap; by this means at the same time the nuisance
arising from Smoke and the escape of distilled matters is avoided or greatly
diminished.
The heap may be either fired at one end and the heat made to travel along the
heap if in an extended line or it may be fired at the crown and the exhaustion
be altogether downwards, this is also applicable to heaps already on fire.
The condensible products can be condensed in the usual way and the fixed gases
used either to augment the heat of the burning heap or in the manufacture of the
residuals or otherwise as local circumstances determine.
This Invention may be used in the treatment of waste heaps at collieries
Ironstone mines or other deposits of carbonaceous refuse or pyrites or for the
treatment of peat in situ without the cost and delay of digging drying and placing
in an oven or for the treatment of heaps of waste cuttings, sawdust and bark
resulting from deforesting operations.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention I will proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same.

page_text: In the case of an ordinary spoil heap the circumstances of each case must
regulate the question as to the best means of introducing the pipes. In many
cases it is sufficient to perforate the ends of wrought iron steam or gas pipes and
introduce a pointed plug or cast iron end to facilitate penetration into the heap.
and at the same time to prevent the pipe filling up. These pipes I introduce at
short intervals, dependent upon the depth of the heap, the activity of combustion
and other matters and I try by suction the freedom of draught obtainable in each
pipe so as to get an approach to uniformity of suction making further regulation
by means of screw-down valves which I can regulate in accordance with the heat
of the pipes when working and the external appearance of the heaps namely
whether emitting smoke near the pipe or otherwise that is to say I should reduce
by closing the valve the draught of a pipe near to which there was an appearance
of the heap drawing air and I would increase by opening the valve the draught
of a pipe near to which there was an emission of smoke or I might at that part
introduce a second pipe or a series of extra pipes. If however it were necessary
in order to maintain the combustion of the heap to introduce a supply of air
I should do it by increased suction. I from time to time further sink the pipes
or remove them to new situations as the exigencies of the case may require.
I also, in order to avoid drawing useless gas apply a test suction apparatus from
time to time to the various pipes in order to discover the value of the products
arising from it and I regulate the suction accordingly.
All these pipes which I have described as sunk in the heap are coupled to one
or more main suction pipes and condensing arrangements and pass thence to such
an arrangement as a Roots' Blower or Beale's exhauster or other appliance capable
of producing the requisite suction, and this apparatus I operate so as to withdraw
the requisite amount of fume. I prefer to cover the heap or such part of the heap
as may be under exhaustion with a layer of Sand Earth or incombustible refuse
so as to make a more or less impervious layer and to confine the fume. If the heap
be large I may tunnel underneath and insert the pipes below or build a conduit
and draw through it the fumes arising from combustion or I may construct conduits
or insert pipes at the sides or bottom, the object being in each case to withdraw
the fume so as to protect it from the action of atmospheric air, which would
decompose the products if mixed in a heated state or diluto and injure the quality
of the gas if mixed in a cold state. I prefer to withdraw the fume so as that the
gas evolved will burn with a good flame but there may be circumstances in which
this is impossible. If flame be obtained it may be conveniently used for obtaining
motive power and also to promote the combustion of any parts of the heap which
may be slower in burning than other parts:
The application of my Invention to the burning of peat or heaps of Sawdust or
other material is quite analogous to the process already described for Spoil heaps.
For a peat bog I should deeply trench if possible to the bottom of the bog so as to
draw away water and to cut the bog into for instance parallelograms, each of which
might be fired separately when sufficiently dry. I insert pipes near one edge and
without the line of these pipes and nearer to the edge I fire the bog and then
apply suction so as to direct the passage of the evolved gases and vapours
downwards and backwards towards the pipes instead of upwards and outwards
towards the air as they would naturally tend to go. I condense the condensible
products and may apply the gas for motive power or to assist the action of the
fire or for any other purpose as may be desired. If an abundant supply of gas be
available it may be so directed with a limited supply of air against the burning
face of the bog as to produce adequate heat to maintain the evolution of gas
without the entire combustion of the peat charcoal produced, part of which may be
by that means recovered.
It is manifest that when accumulations of colliery waste or material which may
be treated according to my Invention are going on, arrangements may be made for
the previous construction of perforated floors and conduits by which to effect
exhaustion of matter laid thereon as they are produced.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I, consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is:-
First, The withdrawal of volatile and gaseous products arising from the com-
bustion of carbonaceous spoil heaps of Collieries Iron mines Shale workings or.
from other sources without exposure or with very limited exposure to air
substantially as described so as that the products of distillation may be recovered
by condensation and the gases may be applied to some useful purpose, also the
treatment of the said materials upon a floor or conduit upon which the material
is laid as it is made and from which the gases are withdrawn substantially as
described.
Secondly The application of Suction during combustion to peat bogs in situ,
substantially as described.
•
In witness whereof I the said Lawrence Hill Armour have to this my
Specification set my hand and Seal this Sixth day of June One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness
JOHN BOWMER
.Clerk
Forest Hall
L. H. ARMOUR.
(L.S.)