IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRYING AND COMMINGTON OF PEAT AND SOME OTHER MATTERS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Milburn, of 76, Church Lane, White-
chapel, in the County of Middlesex, and Henry Jackson, of 16,
Park Square, Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRYING AND
COMMINGTON OF PEAT AND SOME OTHER MATTERS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Milburn and
Henry Jackson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 5th June 1873.
We, ROBERT MILBURN, of 76, Church Lane, Whitechapel, in the
County of Middlesex, and HENRY JACKSON, of 16, Park Square, Leeds,
in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRYING
AND COMMINUTION OF PEAT AND SOME OTHER MATTERS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates principally to apparatus to be employed in the
treatment of peat, but may also be applicable in the case of apparatus
employed in the treatment of other matters, such as manure, sewage
deposit, blood, clay, and sand.

page_text: According to our said Invention the peat is conveyed into a hopper or
on to a feed apron, from whence it passes to a revolving disintegrator
which is serrated or is provided with cutters or teeth which tear up or
divide the peat.
In some cases or in any case the peat may be subjected to the action
of squeezing rollers before passing to the said disintegrator. The peat
on leaving the disintegrator is delivered on to an endless travelling apron,
the surface of which is formed of plates which are hinged at one side or
edge so that they lie flat and form a continuous or nearly continuous
surface when above the supporting shafts, but hang down or assume a
vertical position when below the said shafts, whereby the heated air has
access through spaces between the said plates to the under side of the
portion of the apron upon which the peat is resting. We prefer to
cause each of the said hinged plates to come into contact with a scraping
piece in order that any adhering substance may be removed from the
said plate. The said scraping pieces may be conveniently arranged to
act as guards for the lower of the revolving stirrers or cutters herein-
after mentioned. Two or more of the said aprons may be arranged one
above the other, the peat falling from one apron on to the apron
immediately below. Revolving stirrers or cutters acting to break up
and turn over the peat may be mounted above the said aprons.
We prefer to employ about seven aprons, arranged as herein aforesaid,
and to mount two revolving stirrers or cutters above each apron.
The whole is or may be enclosed in a chamber formed of brickwork or
other suitable material, which chamber is heated by means of a fire or of
fires fed with peat or other fuel, the hot air or gases from the fire or fires
flowing upwards in a circuitous direction through the spaces between
the aprons. The peat delivered from the apparatus in a dry or nearly
dry condition is in a suitable state to be moulded or formed into blocks
to be used as fuel.
In some cases, or in any case revolving stirrers or cutters travelling to
and fro in the direction of the length of the aprons may he emploved.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Milburn and Henry Jackson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 4th December 1873.
nied by the said Robert Milburn and Henry Jackson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 4th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
MILBURN, of 76, Church Lane, Whitechapel, in the County of Middlesex,
and HENRY JACKSON, of 16, Park Square, Leeds, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Robert Milburn and Henry Jackson,
Her special license that we, the said Robert Milburn and Henry
Jackson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Robert Milburn and Henry Jackson, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRYING AND COMMINUTION OF PEAT
AND SOME OTHER MATTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Robert Milburn and Henry Jackson, by an instrument in
writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and 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 we, the said Robert Milburn and Henry
Jackson, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in

page_text: employed in the treatment of other matters, such as manure, sewage
deposit, blood, clay, and sand.
According to our said Invention the peat is conveyed into a hopper or
on to a feed apron, from whence it passes to a revolving disintegrator
which is serrated or is provided with cutters or teeth which tear up or
divide the peat.
In some cases or in any case the peat may be subjected to the action of
squeezing rollers before passing to the said disintegrator. The peat on
leaving the disintegrator is delivered on to an endless travelling apron,
the surface of which is formed of plates which are hinged at one side or
edge so that they lie flat and form a continuous or nearly continuous
surface when above the supporting shafts, but hang down or assume a
vertical position when below the said shafts, whereby the heated air has
access through spaces between the said plates to the under side of the
portion of the apron upon which the peat is resting. We prefer to cause
each of the said hinged plates to come into contact with a scraping piece
in order that any adhering substance may be removed from the said
plate. The said scraping pieces may be conveniently arranged to act as
guards for the lower of the revolving stirrers or cutters, herein-after
mentioned. Two or more of the said aprons may be arranged one above
the other, the peat falling from one apron on to the apron immediately
below. Revolving stirrers or cutters acting to break up and turn over
the peat may be mounted above the said aprons.
The whole is or may be enclosed in a chamber formed of brickwork,
iron, or other suitable material, which chamber is heated by means of a
fire or of fires fed with peat or other fuel, the hot air or gases from the
fire or fires flowing upwards in a circuitous direction through the spaces
between the aprons.
And in order that our said Invention may be more fully understood
we have furnished a Drawing representing a vertical longitudinal section
of a drying apparatus, drawn to a scale of about three-quarters of an
inch to the foot, and marked with letters of reference.
Referring to the said Drawings A is the casing of a stove or drying
chamber, which is erected above the furnace o, the said casing being
formed of metal in this example. Shafts K, K, are fitted to revolve in
suitable bearings, and on the said shafts and within the stove are fixed
hexagonal drums or wheels which sustain and impart motion to the

page_text: endless metal aprons D, E, F; each of the said aprons consists of two or
more endless "pitch" chains, and of the hinged plates G, G. In the
example each of the said plates is stiffened at one side by means of an
angle iron, as seen in the case of the apron D, which is represented in
section, and the ends of the said angle iron are formed into trunnions,
which are mounted in holes formed in the links of the chains. Each
plate is made a little wider than the distance apart of the said holes in
the links, so that the plates lap over each other and form a continuous.
floor or surface which will retain the peat or other substance placed
thereon. As each plate passes round to the under side of the drum K
the said trunnions swivel in their bearings, and the plate assumes a
vertical or nearly vertical position, as seen in the Drawing. In the
example the plates in the apron F are prevented from hanging down by
the plate R which covers the flue S, but this arrangement may be varied.
The apparatus is provided with six revolving stirrers, which are formed
with spikes or teeth, and above each of the four lower stirrers is fixed a.
shield H which prevents the plate G from coming into contact with the
spikes of the stirrer, and also acts as a scraper upon the said plates, as
herein-before mentioned. The said stirrers are employed to turn over,.
break up, and separate the fibres of the peat in order that the escape or
discharge of vapour therefrom may be facilitated. Inclined shoots are
fixed at L and M, and serve to direct the peat or other substance as it
falls from one apron to the other. The heated gases from the furnace O
flow through the flue T and under the arch or horizontal partition P to Q
when an opening for the admission of air is formed; the said gases then
flow through the flue S into the drying chamber, wherein they impart
heat to the aprons and act upon the peat or other substance which is
being dried.
When used in the drying of peat the peat after having been disin-
tegrated in manner as herein-before indicated, or in any suitable manner;
is fed upon the end of the apron D which projects out of the stove, and
is conveyed by the said apron through the doorway Binto the stove; the
Isaid peat travels three times from end to end of the stove, falling from
the apron D on to the apron E, and thence on to the apron F in its
course, being stirred and agitated by the revolving stirrers I, I, and is
finally discharged through the opening C, which is partly closed by means
of a roller to check the loss of heat. The number of aprons may be less
or more than three; and if arranged at a greater vertical distance apart,

page_text: or if the proportions of parts be suitably varied the shields H may be
dispensed with.
In some cases or in any case the said stirrers may be arranged to
travel over the surface of the aprons in addition to having a revolving
motion.
The speed of the aprons and the heat of the furnace being suitably
regulated the peat as delivered from the apparatus will be in a suitable
condition to be moulded or formed into blocks or masses which may be
used as fuel.
E
Having now fully described and indicated the nature of our said 1
Invention, and the manner in which we may carry the same into practical
effect, we would in conclusion have it to be understood that we claim,―
First. The travelling aprons, formed substantially as herein set forth,
and indicated, especially with reference to the hinged plates G.
Secondly. The combination of travelling aprons with the revolving-1
stirrers, having teeth, prongs, or blades, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before set forth and indicated.
And, lastly. The general arrangement and combination of parts,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated herein-
before and in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Milburn and Henry
Jackson, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Second day
of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-three.
2
JNO. WHITE, Jun'.,
Witness,
Parkside,
Dulwich.
ROBT. MILBURN.
(L.S.)
HENRY JACKSON. (L.S.)