A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A AMIANTHINE COAL OR A COAL OF AMIANTHUS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emile Louis Joseph Rocher, of Toulouse (France), Gentle-
man,
for the Invention of "A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A AMIANTHINE
COAL OR A COAL OF AMIANTHUS.”
Sealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 24th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emile Louis Joseph Rocher at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1877.
EMILE LOUIS JOSEPH ROCHER, of Toulouse (France), Gentleman. A PROCESS
OF MANUFACTURING A AMIANTHINE COAL OR A COAL OF AMIANTHUS."
"
My Invention consists in the production of a fuel in the combustion of which the
least possible quantity of carbonic acid is disengaged, and a pleasant and healthy
odour evolved, which fuel is also of a cheap nature, and being dense, affords with a
small volume a considerable and constant heat, burning freely, but slowly, and pro-
ducing no smoke, and requiring no special instrument or apparatus for effecting its
combustion. The essential ingredient of the said fuel is green, white, or blue
amianthus, or flexible asbestos, capable of subdivision into small particles in water,
and which when mixed with the other substances forms a sort of fibrous paste,
possessing when dry great elasticity, whereby it is enabled to stand considerable
transport without breakage, and the ashes of which after combustion retain the
original conglomerate form of the fuel.
As regards the development of carbonic acid, the green amianthus in particular
is of great value, being composed of silicate of lime, silicate of magnesia, and
protoxide of iron, and its effect being much the same as that of the pieces of iron
that are placed in brasiers for neutralising the carbonic acid.
In order further to neutralise the carbonic acid as much as possible I mix with
the amianthus fat lime, which, when formed into a paste therewith, also acts as
aglutinating material for imparting solidity to the fuel. In place of the lime
may be employed other known aglutinating materials, preferably those capable of
absorbing carbonic acid.

page_text: To the above ingredients are mixed charcoal and acetate of lead, or nitrate of
soda, or of lime, or substances having analogous properties. Thus, for one descrip-
tion of the said fuel, I employ 1,000 parts of charcoal, 100 parts of amianthus,
25 parts of gum, 1,500 parts of water, and 100 parts of acetate of lead. For another
description, I employ 1,000 parts of charcoal, 130 parts of amianthus, 60 parts of
lime, 55 parts of nitrate of lime or of soda, and 1,500 parts of water.
The above proportions of the ingredients may, however, be modified according to
the purposes for which the fuel is to be employed.
The charcoal and amianthus are reduced to a fine state of subdivision, and
are then mixed together, the nitrate of lime or analogous substance is also
pulverised, and then mixed with the other two substances, and to this compound
is then added the water in which the aglutinating material has previously been
dissolved. The compound is then stirred so as to incorporate all the ingredients
as perfectly as possible, and is afterwards placed in moulds to form briquettes
which are dried either in the open air or in stoves.
The above described fuel is particularly applicable for heating railway carriages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Emile Louis Joseph Rocher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd January 1878.
EMILE LOUIS JOSEPH ROCHER, of Toulouse (France), Gentleman.
OF MANUFACTURING A AMIANTHINE COAL OR A COAL OF AMIANTHUS."
A PROCESS
My Invention consists in the production of a fuel in the combustion of which the
least possible quantity of carbonic acid is disengaged, and a pleasant and healthy
odour is evolved, which fuel is also of a cheap nature, and being dense, affords with
a small volume a considerable and constant heat, burning freely, but slowly, pro-
ducing no smoke, and requiring no special apparatus for effecting its combustion.
The essential ingredient of the said fuel is green, white, or blue amianthus, or
flexible asbestos, which is capable of subdivision into small particles, in water, and
which when intimately mixed with the other substances hereafter mentioned, forms
a sort of fibrous paste, possessing when dry great elasticity, whereby it is enabled
to stand considerable transport without breakage, and the ashes of which after
combustion retain the original conglomerate form of the fuel. Moreover, the
amianthus fibres in each fuel block, while it is burning, remain unconsumed, and
serve to transmit the heat to the surface of the block.
As regards the development of carbonic acid, the green amianthus in particular
is of great value, being composed of silicate of lime, silicate of magnesia, and
protoxide of iron, which by its combustion is farther oxidised, as shewn by the
change of colour of the fibres from green to rusty brown, and thus its effect is
much the same as that of the pieces of iron sometimes placed in brasiers for
neutralising the carbonic acid.
In order further to neutralise the carbonic acid as much as possible I mix with
the amianthus fat lime, which, when formed into a paste therewith, also acts as
agglutinating material, imparting great solidity to the fuel. In place of the lime

page_text: may be employed other known agglutinating materials, preferably those capable of
absorbing carbonic acid.
To the above ingredients are mixed charcoal and acetate of lead, or nitrate of
soda or of lime, or substances having analogous properties. Thus, for one descrip-
tion of the said fuel, I employ 1,000 parts of charcoal, 100 parts of amianthus,
25 parts of gum, 1,500 parts of water, and 100 parts of acetate of lead. For another
description, I employ 1,000 parts of charcoal, 130 parts of amianthus, 60 parts of
lime, 55 parts of nitrate of lime or of soda, and 1,500 parts of water.
The above proportions of the ingredients may, however, be modified according to
the purposes for which the fuel is to be employed.
The charcoal and amianthus are reduced to a fine state of subdivision, and are
then mixed together; the nitrate of lime or analogous substance is also pulverised,
and then mixed with the other two substances, and to this compound is then added
the water in which the agglutinating material, gum, or lime has previously been
dissolved or supended. The compound being then stirred so as to incorporate all the
ingredients as thoroughly as possible forms a pliable paste. This paste is then
placed in moulds to form briquettes or blocks which are dried either in the open air
or in stoves.
The above-described fuel, on account of the comparative absence of carbonic acid
from the products of its combustion, is particularly applicable in portable stoves,
such as those employed for heating railway carriages.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,―
The manufacture of amianthine fuel, consisting of charcoal, amianthus, and the
other ingredients herein-before mentioned, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emile Louis Joseph Rocher, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD,
Civil Engineer,
Bd. de Strasbourg, 23,
à Paris.
E. L. J. ROCHER. (L.S.)