Improvements in and in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Crude Peat into Fuel.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
CUM LIM
Improvements in and in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Crude
Peat into Fuel.
I, ARCHIBALD ANDERSON DICKSON of 1 Western Avenue, Coté San Antoine
Montreal, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention is an improved process and apparatus for the manufacture of crude
peat into fuel. It is designed to carry out the improved process for the treatment
of the natural product of peat with a special object of facilitating the removal of
the moisture and the consequent reduction of the natural product to a condition in
which it may be used as fuel.
The distinguishing feature of the process or principle of operation lies in the
treatment of the mass of crude peat as it comes from the bog in such a manner as
to eliminate the moisture at every step of the process without reducing the mass to
a pasty condition and without necessitating application of artificial heat and breaking
up the fibres which the peat contains and which are necessary or advantageous at
least for the better expulsion of the moisture and drying the peat preparatory to its
use as fuel. I have hereinafter described the method of treatment in connection
with the apparatus which I have devised for carrying on the method. This
apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents the apparatus partly in side elevation and partly in vertical
section.
Figure 2 represents a horizontal section on line y-y of Figure 1 of the com-
pressing conveyor and the pressure rolls connected therewith.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the drying cylinder and
also shows the relation of the repellent elastic rolls thereto.
Figure 4 shows a plan view of the compressing apparatus.
Figure 5 is a detail plan view of the tub and top plate of the compressor.
Figure 6 shows my invention with a heated carrier and a grinder and sieve
connected therewith.
Referring to Figure 1, A represents a shute by means of which crude peat is
introduced into a conveyor and compressing apparatus, which is marked B. This
part of the apparatus serves at the same time as a compressor to force out the
moisture from the crude peat and to convey the peat to the first set of cylinders.
It consists of a tapering case marked 1 made rectangular in cross section as shown
in Figure 2. Within it is located a tapering screw conveyor marked 2; this has
its bearings in the end of the case and its shaft is provided with a pinion 3 by means
of which it may be driven. The case is provided with openings at the corners as
shown at 4, preferably throughout the entire length of the case and the case may
be made of slats or sections for the better escape of the water pressed out as the
crude peat passes down under the pressure of the screw conveyor. The sides of the
case are extended and bent around over these series of holes so as to cover them
but an opening is left as shown in Figure 2, for the escape of water from the
channels formed by these extensions. The construction is shown in Figure
The covering flanges 5 are all turned in one direction which is opposite to the
motion of the screw conveyor, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 2. The crude
peat being introduced into the upper and larger end of the case is forced down by
its own weight and by the action of the screw, and as it is carried constantly
over the narrow part of the case it is more and more compressed and consequently
at 5.

page_text: compelled to part with the water which it contains in its crude condition, or with a
considerable part of it.
At the same time it will be observed that the mass of peat is not stirred or beaten
since the screw forms one continual blade which passes through the peat without
agitation and without reducing it to a pasty condition in which condition it is very
difficult to eliminate the water since the water becomes the more thoroughly mixed
and the solid parts more thoroughly dissolved as the crude material is the more
thoroughly agitated and it is for this reason that the material is moved and com-
pressed by the devices which cause no agitation.
From the bottom of the compressor case a pipe or spout c leads to the first
set of cylinders, which squeeze the material to further eliminate the moisture.
The end of the pipe c is preferably of flattened bell shape so that the exit is
a narrow vertically arranged slot. This is located between the cylinders F, F.
These cylinders are shown in a vertical position but may be used hori-
zontally and are covered with an absorbent material such as most fibrous
articles or felt, and this covering being of sufficient thickness as indicated at 6,
in Figure 2, it absorbs the moisture expressed from the peat passing between
the cylinders which is drained off through the holes 7 into the interior of the
cylinders from which it escapes through pipes 8 leading from the circular pans 8"
at the bottom. The peat after passing through the cylinders falls between the
second set marked G, G. These as shown are arranged in a horizontal position
but may be used vertically and they have a facing of rubber or other expellent
substance marked 9. I have shown an inclined shute 10 for guiding the peat
as it falls from the cylinders F to the proper point between the cylinders G.
The cylinders may be adjusted by means of a set screw 11 and are held in
vertically adjustable position by a screw shaft 12, one at each end. Below
the cylinders G is a hopper H shown in Figure 3. This hopper may lead
directly into a revolving drying cylinder K as in Figures and 3, or first into
an elongated heated jacket or chamber z Fig. 6 where the material falls upon
a moving carrier which is preferably made of slats. The chamber is heated by
the furnace and in order to more thoroughly dry the material the air may
be drawn through the chamber by a fan ¹. The effect of this carrier is to
dry the material in a thin sheet so that when it is discharged into the drying
cylinder it will not adhere together and form a mass which is difficult to agitate
and dry. This carrier will be found to be especially useful when the material
is very moist but under some conditions it will not be absolutely necessary.
Before entering the drying cylinder the greater part of the water has been
removed by the previous compressions. In falling from the rolls and passing
through the carrier chamber the mass is very little broken or agitated, the
material remaining in its natural porous or spongy condition with a very large
proportion of the moisture eliminated and in this form it is introduced to the
chamber or cylinder K. This cylinder is open at both ends. It is provided
with a heating jacket or furnace entirely surrounding it, and is set in an inclined
position as shown in Figure 3. In order to turn it I provide a pinion 15 which
meshes into a gear 16 on the periphery of the cylinder at the upper end. The
lower end is supported upon rollers set in a vertically adjustable frame M,
Figure 3, adjusted by the device L by means of which the inclination of the
cylinder may be varied. The spout of the hopper H or the end of the carrier
chamber in Figure 6 projects into the cylinder at the upper end so as to deliver
the material thereto. The cylinder is provided with longitudinal flanges on its
interior surface set radially as shown at 46. It may have longitudinal heating
coils 17 supported about the axis of the cylinder and connected to a steam
supply pipe 18 which is flexible to permit the adjustment of the cylinder K. by
means of suitable stuffing boxes which will permit the necessary rotary action.
The peat falls into the end of the inclined cylinder and on to the lower part
of the inner periphery thereof, and is immediately carried up by the rotation
and by the flanges 46 until said flanges are brought to such an inclination that

page_text: it
the peat slips off and falls. By reason of the general inclination it passes
gradually and by repeated falls from the upper to the lower end. During its
passage through the cylinder it subjected to a blast of air driven or drawn
It is
through from the lower to the upper end; this may be heated or not.
better that the air should be dry as thereby it more readily absorbs the moisture
from the peat. But the larger part of the moisture being extracted from the
peat in the previous operations and the peat not having been reduced to a pasty ·
condition it is loose and fibrous and it is readily heated as
passes through
the cylinder and in this heated and loose condition it falls through the
current of air exposing all its parts to the action of air and thus readily parts
with its remaining moisture. At the lower end of the cylinder K it is discharged
into the tub N of the compressor under some conditions, but under other
conditions I may as shown in Figure 6 discharge the peat upon an elevator
which discharges it into a grinder or breaker X the shaft of which has arms
to break up the peat and pulverize it. The shaft is revolved in any desired
way and the casing of the grinder is stationary. I have shown the grinder
arranged independently of the furnace or heater but I prefer to locate it within
the same.
From the grinder the peat falls into a screen revolved in any
suitable manner and the finer particles passing through the meshes of this screen
fall into the tub N and is ready for compression into blocks. The tub is placed
over and in connection with the compressing apparatus as shown in Figure 4
and also illustrated in Figure 1. The main operating shaft 19 has gear wheels 20
serving at the same time as fly wheels. A crank and pitman 21 connects with
a plunger 22 which works in a compression channel 23 and between the movable
guides 24. The movable guides are operated by the rods 25 through toggles 26
these being operated by eccentrics on the main shaft. The movable guides
have wings 27, the outer faces of which are on a curve struck from the pivots
of the guides, and they work closely in front of the boxes 28 in which are
plungers 29 worked by levers 30 and rods 31 connected to the eccentric on the
main shaft. The guides move outward far enough to engage the ends of the
boxes and when they are at their outer limit the parts are so arranged that
the supplemental plungers move forward and push the material within the range
of the guides which are immediately moved inward and sweep the material in
front of the plunger which is then back. The toggles are then straight and
lock the guides so as to form a continuation of the channel in which the plunger
works and the material is compressed on the sides as well as front and rear, as
it is continuously pushed forward. The tub has a bottom 32 inclined from the
centre outwardly covering the working parts with the exception of the space
over the boxes 28 so that the material as it falls in the top fills these boxes
every time the plungers are drawn back. The cylinder is preferably provided
with an ordinary steam jacket to increase the heating capacity and I have also
provided means for heating the jacket about the channel in the compressing
machine, as shown at 34, the steam pipe connecting to the cylinder jacket 34
at 18.
At the beginning of the operation of compressing I place a tight fitting block 40
in the channel which serves as an obstruction in order to get the initial resistance,
and as the material is pressed against this obstruction it affords by its own friction
sufficient resistance to give the proper compression and the block is then forced out.
Afterwards the machine works by the friction of the material itself against the
walls.
I have described the case as made rectangular in form. There is a special
reason for this; it leaves a mass of the crude peat in the corners where the
drainage holes are so that the mass of peat acts as a strainer through which the
water is forced by the pressure. A triangular cross section might be used but
the square cross section is better.
From the description already given it will appear sufficient that in the operation of
the machine the crude material is worked forward under pressure without agitation.

page_text: This agitation is what I especially avoid since it breaks up the fibres and more
thoroughly mixes the materials and more thoroughly absorbs the solid particles in the
water which renders it more difficult to extract the water. At the same time it produces
a pasty mass, which, when formed into blocks is less coherent than blocks formed
in the manner herein described. I have found that in some cases a portion of the
herein described process and apparatus is not absolutely necessary, certain bogs
containing more fibrous matter and less water than others; in such cases the
tapering case B may readily be dispensed with, as also one set of rolls and in some
cases even the heated chamber as well. This reduces the cost of apparatus very
materially. In the event of such mechanism being dispensed with, the crude peat
is delivered from the bog direct to the rolls, then to the drying chamber or cylinder
as the case may be, carried into the revolving reel or sieve then reduced to powder
and finally subjected to the compressing apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
--
1. The hereinbefore described method of treating crude peat, the same consisting
in first subjecting the peat to compression without agitation until the greater part
of the water is removed, and the peat is reduced to a comparatively dry and fibrous
condition, and then agitating it without breaking the fibres, in a heated cylinder or
chamber, while subjected to a blast of air.
2. The hereinbefore described method of treating crude peat consisting in
subjecting the peat to compression without agitation until the greater part of the
water is removed; then subjecting it to the action of absorbent rollers; then
agitating it in a heated cylinder without breaking the fibres; then reducing the
material thus dried to powder and finally pressing it into the desired form, all
substantially as described.
3. The herein described method of treating peat consisting in subjecting the peat
to compression without agitation; then drying it, then grinding and sifting it and
finally compressing it into blocks substantially as described.
4. A machine for the manufacture of peat fuel from the crude material, consisting
of a tapering case having a tapering screw, a set of hollow cylinders covered with
an absorbent material and having perforations to the interior for drainage, and a
spout connecting the bottom of the tapering case with the cylinders substantially as
described.
5. A machine for the manufacture of peat fuel from the crude material consisting
of a tapering case having a tapering screw, a set of cylinders covered with an
absorbent material and having perforations for drainage and a spout connecting the
bottom of the tapering case with the cylinders and a set of repellent elastic faced
rollers arranged below the absorbent rollers and adapted to receive the material
from the absorbent rollers substantially as described.
6. In a machine for reducing peat to fuel, a tapering case formed of a series of
flanged plates arranged with openings at their meeting edges.
7. In combination with the drying mechanism of a peat machine, the compressing
mechanism consisting of a main driving shaft, a plunger operated thereby, guides for
moving the material laterally to bring it in front of the plunger, and supplemental
plungers feeding the material to the guides, substantially as described, and mechanism
for operating the guides and plungers substantially as described.
8. The compressing mechanism consisting of a plunger, and guides and their
operating toggles, said guides having curved wings 27, the supplemental plungers
and mechanism for operating said plungers, the parts being arranged to operate
substantially as described.
9. In a peat machine and in combination with a suitable feed, a set of feed rollers
having perforations and covered with absorbent material whereby the moisture is
extracted from the material and discharged through the rollers, substantially as
described.

page_text: 10. In combination a tapering case having a tapering feed and compressing
screw, a set of cylinders in connection with the bottom of the feed case by means of
a spout, a second set of cylinders below the first pair, a drying cylinder adapted to
receive the material after its passage through the second set of rollers and to
agitate and dry the same without breaking the fibre and a compressing mechanism
adapted to receive the material from the drying cylinder, substantially as described.
11. In a peat machine, means for expressing the moisture from the crude material,
means for heating and drying it, a grinder for reducing the material, a sieve to
screen the material and a compressor for pressing into blocks the ground and sifted
material.
12. In a peat machine, means for expressing the moisture, a drying and agitating
chamber and a conveyor between the expressing means and the agitating chamber,
said conveyor passing through a heated chamber, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of May 1891.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.