IMPROVEMENTS IN PULPING, DRYING, AND CONVERTING PEAT INTO FUEL AND OTHER USEFUL PRODUCTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND METHODS NECESSARY FOR EFFECTING AND APPLYING THE SAME.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Henry Cradock Monckton, of Fineshade,
Northamptonshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PULPING,
DRYING, AND CONVERTING PEAT INTO FUEL AND OTHER USEFUL PRODUCTS, AND
IN THE APPARATUS AND METHODS NECESSARY FOR EFFECTING AND APPLYING
THE SAME.
"
Sealed the 18th September 1874, and dated the 23rd July 1874.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edward Henry Cradock
Monckton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 23rd July 1874, pursuant to the.
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HENRY CRADOCK MONCKTON, of Fineshade, Northamptonshire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PULPING, DRYING, AND CONVERTING PEAT INTO FUEL AND OTHER USEFUL
PRODUCTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND METHODS NECESSARY FOR EFFECTING AND
A

page_text: triturator entering at the wide part, the sides of the V above and below
constituting a circular strainer while the entire or nearly the entire
circumference between these two sides is left open, leaving a comparatively
narrow space between them at their circumference, so that while the
centrifugal force drives the peat against the slanting strainers above and
below it is. immediately on passing them driven out as a thin circular
cake; the outer edges of the rims of both strainers are made double,
the outer ones upper and lower both revolve within circular cases
which receive and carry off the water by means of pipes joined to them
clear of the poat, which falls into a receiver. A machine similar to that
used for pulping fibres for paper made with a large drum and cutters
may also be advantageously used for comminuting and pulping peat;
and coarse paper, as pasteboard, may be made with such peat.
My second method consists in using a machine almost the converse of
the above, the conical ends of the cones being placed downwards, the
inner part of the lower cone and the outer part of the upper one being
corrugated, toothed, or roughed, or furnished, with steel bars similar to
those placed on the hollow discs of the first method; the peat passes
here from a chopper or tube into the hollow formed by the circumferencos
of the two cones, and passing between them comes out below through
an orifico made in the centre of the lower cone, which in this case is
by preference fixed, the upper cone revolving; the cones in both
methods are arranged so that they are further apart from each other
where the peat enters and approach nearer each other towards the point
of exit; thus by my first method the centres are furthest apart while the
circumferences approach, while by my second the circumferences aro
separated while the narrower or cono ends approach; thus in either caso
the rough peat is triturated as it descends to any required degree of
fineness, the form of corrugation or roughing in either method is
dependant on the nature of the peat to be operated on; thus in one case
bars may be useful, in another corrugations, as in a coffee mill; in a
third teeth, or roughing as on a rasp or coarso file.
My third method consists in the adaptation of the grape crushers used
in France to the rough crushing and disintegration of peat. Thus I use
two rollers with spiral grooves cut on each; these rollers are made to
approach or to separate from each other at pleasure, by making one by
preference larger than the other a triturating as well as a crushing
movement is caused. These rolls are also by preference made of a

page_text: considerably larger diameter than those of the grape crushers. Thus
peat after passing between these rollers and through sieves with large
meshes, in order to remove sticks and coarse dirt, or if otherwise
sufficiently pure, without further process may be passed at once into
one or other of my triturators where such trituration is found to be
necessary.
My fourth method consists in using in combination with my other
processes the pug mill of Mr. A. M. Clark (for which he received a
Provisional Protection, No. 1594, in 1870), for soft black peat or bog
muck, and that of Rudolph Geysser (described in pages 140 and 141 of
Johnson's work on peat and its uses) for brown or fibrous peat, both of
which mills I improve further by the admission of steam superheated
or otherwise, and hot air, in the manner described further on under
"f secondly."
The object of my systems of fincly comminuting peat is to causo it
to part more rapidly with its hygrometric water and thus to cause it to
form a more dense cake on drying than could otherwise be obtained;
where a dense mass or dense fuel is not required the triturators first.
described need not be used.
My fifth method consists in using a machine constructed of large sizo
on the principle of a meat mincing machine which supplied by a hopper
drives the material along, comminuting it in its passage; it is then
forced along a tubular strainer, made by preference of equal diameter
throughout, by means of numerous curved arms or blades attached in
sets of two, three, or four blades round a central shaft, each set being
placed at consecutive distances apart. These arms are constructed
somewhat like a ship's screw propeller, by which means the peat as it
passes from one set of blades to another set is being perpetually sub-
divided throughout its entire course; it is thus always changing its
position as regards the strainers and affords the simplest and best method
of removing the latent water; any additional pressure necessary is
caused by narrowing proportionally the orifice of exit. I encase this as
well as my other strainers by preference with an exhaust or vaccum
chamber in order to withdraw the water moro rapidly. To further
facilitate the opening out the body of the peat I introduce steam into it
through holes in the shaft or through holes in the arms of the propeller
which are made hollow; these arms may either bo cast on the shaft or bọ

page_text: attached or screwed on to it afterwards; as a rule it is always preferable
to work with strainers of a narrow diameter, using more of them, than
to force a large bulk of peat through large strainers; the nature of
the peat must however be the guide as to the size of the straining
3 cylinder.
Secondly. In introducing by a novel and more efficient method steam,
dried or superheated, with or without hot air into pug mills either of the
common sort or those above alluded to, constructed on Clark and
Rudolph Geysser's systems. This I effect by having hollow arms pierced
with holes, some of these arms being fixed to the cylinder of the pug
mill and others to a hollow revolving shaft having these hollow arms
inserted in it placed within the cylinder, and thus steam or hot air can
be admitted through pipes in connection with the cylinder and its arms;
but though steam and hot air can be thus introduced by both methods
simultaneously, it will be better generally speaking to introduce them
only through the fixed arms, the revolving ones being solid and merely
acting as cutters and subdividers.
Thirdly. In improved forms of drying apparatus one form consists in
a cylinder made of wood or iron or wirework of considerable length and
size, the length and size depending on the quantity of peat to be operated
upon. This cylinder is open to the air at one end, and is furnished with
an Archimædian screw on a hollow shaft placed inside perforated by pre-
ference with holes for the admission of hot air or steam, which, as the
peat passes in at the end open to the air in the form of paste, lumps, or
bricks, forces it along in a progressively drier state to the other end,
where it falls into a receiving chamber. This chamber is kept closed
except during the period of its boing emptied into a larger chamber or
on to a waggon. The shaft of the screw is raised sufficiently above the
peat so as to admit of the free passage of the hot air or dried steam
carrying with it the vapour of the water rising from the peat either
through the holes pierced in the screw or in the cylinder to the end of
the cylinder or its channel to the open air; as many of these 'drying
cylinders as are required may be placed in succession one above, the
other, or otherwise in such a manner as each shall in succession receive
one of its ends, the contents of the one above it or preceding it, as the
scrow propels it onwards. These screws are turned by chain. bands or
by suitable gearing. Where soveral cylinders are used their ends are by
preference enclosed in boxes;..by-preference, the first of the series only
.J

page_text: having its entrance end for the crude peat open to the air, so that under
this arrangement the hot air or vapour must pass through all the
cylinders, finding its exit only through that end of the topmost or most
remote cylinder. The steam may be admitted into the interior cither
from the exit end of the dry peat by means of a hollow and holes mado
in and along the scrow shaft or else from outside the wire gauzo cylinder
or cylinders made of wood, perforated, as the case may be, so as to
penetrate the peat between the threads of the screw.
Another form of drier consists in a cylinder made of pierced metal or
other material as woven wire placed slanting in a closed chamber, and
made to rotate on a hollow shaft in a chamber, hot air or dried steam
being made to pass through holes into this cylinder, entering it from the
lower end and passing out above at the upper; the peat is supplied
continuously to the rotating cylinder from a pug mill or otherwise.
This cylinder is open at each end, one end to the air the other entering
the receiving chamber, which is kept closed, except when opened occa-
sionally to empty its contents, when it is again closed; the rotatory
motion of the cylinder exposes its contents whether in lumps or pasto
to the action of the hot air on all sides, and thus facilitates the drying
process while its own gravity causes the peat to descend. I uso also
another simple form of drier for very fluid peat which is formed of a
cylinder of coarse wire or not work, or an open wooden frame lined
throughout with goat's hair, cloth, or other suitable strainer; the ends of
this cylinder are closed, and thin pulp being let in by an orifice at the
top a circular brush is rotated and the water runs out into a chamber
exhaused of its air, the rotatory movement preventing tho deposit of
the fine peat sludge, and thus giving a free passage for the escape of the
water; when sufficiently dry for the next process one of the ends arc
opened and the partly dried peat is removed.
By another method I employ long straining bags of canvas or other;
material furnished at every yard or less with wooden hoops. The orifices
of these bags are secured to holes in a floor and hang down; moist or
fluid peat drains rapidly, and is then taken out.
Fourthly. In improved forms of pressing apparatus for drying moist
peat. For this purpose I use motal sheets perforated with holes varying
in diameter, and I place ono sheet over the other, so that the smallest
holes are inside the apparatus and those with the larger ones are placed
progressively as to size outside; or clsc outside the first sheet which con-

page_text: stitutes the strainer I place wove wire or wire netting as a support. The
holes may be of any shape. These sheets may be bent circularly as
tubes, or be made into oblong, square, or other shaped channels; they
are then strongly secured by iron hoops, rings, braces, or fastenings
bolted together so as to be able to resist considerable pressure. Peat
from my pug mills or triturators_direct_or_after-heating,-and-partial
drying by hot air and steam or otherwise as above described, is supplied
through a hopper or other channel to a large case having two smaller
cases or cylinders attached; the end of each case or cylinder is furnished
with a piston or plunger and an air valve opening inwards, which rises
and closes by means of a spring; the plungers or pistons are driven alter-
nately into the cylinders. At the exit end of these cylinders and within
them are placed two valves hinged above and falling down when closed,
slanting in a direction towards the exit, so that as each plunger pushes
forward the peat it opens the valve within its cylinder and closes the
valve within the cylinder from which the plunger is withdrawn. These
valves have rods attached to them passing upwards through the cylinders
and weighted at top or furnished with a spring which facilitates their
rapid descent so as to close at once the orifice of the cylinder or case not
in action. The plungers are actuated by a steam or other engine which
at each stroke forces the moist peat into the pierced metal chamber, and
the moisture is thus driven out through the strainer while the peat
passes out in a continuous stream along the tube, when if preferred it
can be cut into lengths by a revolving or sliding cutter or by wires, as
is now done in brickmaking machines. Where the peat is very fluid
powerful double acting pumps may be used. In lieu of perforated metal
I also use thin slips of laminated metal separated from each other by
other than narrow slips of metal soldered on between at suitable
distances, or by means of thin wire wound round and between- them at
suitable distances and soldered, the projecting part of the wire being filed
off smooth in the inside of the case. These sheets of lamins are then
formed into cases and secured by rings, hoops, or bolts, &c. These narrow
sheets of laminæ may be packed in any desired form, as circularly,
oblong, or square, and properly backed by strong perforated plates of
metal will resist great pressure on account of being packed side by side
with their edges upwards.

page_text: which serves a double purpose, firstly, that of adding atmospheric
pressure in the form of an exhaust applied on the outside of the strainer
to aid the pressure within, made by means of the plungers on the pulp;
and secondly, that when the strainer has a disposition to choke or foul
to clean it by reversing the process and pumping in air, which forces out
the particles of peat or dirt which are in the holes or interstices. In
order to apply the exhaust the streamers are inclosed in an air-tight caso.
with an air pump attached. I further apply the system of exhaust below.
filters, strainers, and filter beds generally in order to effect a more rapid
discharge of water, in which case the part below the strainer or filter
bed is made air-tight.
I specially claim the use of an exhaust in my improvements for the
manufacture of peat, as described in my Provisional Specification for
which I received provisional protection, No. 423, dated Tenth February,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, because I abandoned this:
Patent only owing to a defect in the title, and because the abstract of
those processes, though published, are imperfect, and have never been
used by the public owing to tho want of a detailed and complete Specifi-
cation.
In lieu of plungers I also use very strong cast or wrought iron 2
cylinders, made cone-shaped at bottom, fitted with exit cocks. Those
are filled from above with moist peat introduced into them under pressure.
of steam from closed chambers placed closely in conjunction through
large tubes fitted with full waycocks. Into these cylinders when filled
I either pump air hot or cold, or pass steam or superheated steam direct 2
from the boiler on and into the peat, by preference through small tubes
with cocks on them inserted into the sides of the cylinder at suitablo
distances and heights. The pressure so obtained forces the peat from
the cylinder along and through the strainers above described. The heat
and formation of vapour in the peat in consequence also aids in its 3
expulsion and the straining off its water, and the machinery is also by
this means much simplified. By using two or more such cylinders,
which may be all cast in one piece communicating with the exit chaunell,
some filling and heating while others are discharging by means of opening
and shutting the cocks on them. The stream of peat thus considerably 3
dried is rendered continuous, and being driven out hot is in a fitter
condition for subsequent drying. The chambers which supply the moist
peat are filled by opening their cocks successively as they require to be
.

page_text: supplied with peat from my pug mills or triturators. Each cylinder
when it has discharged its peat into the strainers has its steam shut off
from the boiler, its exit cock closed, and the cock on the exit pipe for
the exhausted steam (which latter is inserted in the side near the top of
the emptied cylinder) opened, so that the spent steam rushing along a
continuation of this pipe-to-the-top-of--the-supply-chamber containing
the moist peat enters into this chamber (any additional pressure required
being supplied from the boiler) and forces the peat in it down into tho
working cylinder. When this latter cylinder is filled the supply pipé is
closed, and pressure from the boiler being again let on the peat is again
forced into the strainer. By this means, both the heat and pressure of.
the waste steam in the working cylinder is economised, and the pressure.
above and below the moist peat in the supply chamber being equalised.
it descends by slight additional steam pressure from the boiler with
facility. The several taps, revolving or sliding, are either arranged to
work successively, and in their turn by hand or by means of connections
supplied with peat from my pug mills or triturators. Each cylinder
when it has discharged its peat into the strainers has its steam shut off
from the boiler, its exit cock closed, and the cock on the exit pipe for
the exhausted steam (which latter is inserted in the side near the top of
the emptied cylinder) opened, so that the spent steam rushing along a
continuation of this pipe-to-the-top-of-the-supply-chamber containing
the moist peat enters into this chamber (any additional pressure required
being supplied from the boiler) and forces the peat in it down into tho
working cylinder. When this latter cylinder is filled the supply pipé is
closed, and pressure from the boiler being again let on the peat is again
forced into the strainer. By this means, both the heat and pressure of.
the waste steam in the working cylinder is economised, and the pressure.
above and below the moist peat in the supply chamber being equalised.
it descends by slight additional steam pressure from the boiler with
facility. The several taps, revolving or sliding, are either arranged to
work successively, and in their turn by hand or by means of connections
with an engine.
:
I further use the following novel system of continuous pressuro
applied to moist peat whether heated or otherwise :-Two large rolls of
wood or metal are placed a small distance apart, say from one to two
inches, or something more according to the nature of the peat. Each
roll is inserted within a broad endless wire gauze web or net band, each-
of which bands is supported by and revolves separately on rollers placed
above and below each central roll. The rollers above and below are both
made smaller than the central roll, so that each wire sheet or band slopes
both above and below towards the central roll, the two sheets forming a
double V, one above, the other below it. To each end of each central
roll is fixed a wheel with.pointed teeth, which work into loops in endless
chains which are secured all round to the outer edges of each gauze.
band. Thus the four wheels with their teeth catch simultaneously the
loops in the four chains attached to these bands, and the rolls being also-
geared together when moved draw down these bands simultaneously.
In lieu of teethed wheels I also use friction wheels covered with leatlier
or vulcanised india-rubber, which press against the sides outside the
central rolls and force them together against an endless loose revolving
band of vulcanised india-rubber. This last-band revolves over two pullies,
one placed above and one below, one of the central rolls being made-to
pass outside one of the wire gauze bands, and the other between them-
."
-

page_text: both. This pressure is sufficient also to draw down these wire bands,
and answers tho purpose of the toothed wheels in a more simple manner.
Moist peat supplied from above as required between those inclined bands
from an orifice in the centre spreads out as it descends, and is thus
drawn down and pressed more and more till it reaches the central part
of the rolls (i.o. the parts nearest each other), where having received
the greatest pressure it passes out much drier below the middle of the
rolls, while the water runs off partly through the interstices in the band
and partly at the ends of the rolls. A frame is placed above cach roll
to support the wire gauze bands inside in order to enable them gradually:
to sustain the first pressuro, and on this frame are placed small horizontal
rollers to enable the bands to pass down smoothly. These rollers, as well
as the central and other rolls, I by preferenco cover with vulcanised
india-rubber in order to prevent injury to them in their revolution and
to act as spring cushions in case of accident. These gauze wire bands:
may also be lined with other material, such as goat's air, cloth, canvas,
&c., if desired.
I further use Lebec's continuous roller beetroot press on an enlarged
scale for the purpose of expressing the water from peat, and also simplo
common cast-iron rollers corrugated and perforated, by preference, of great
diameter, with the samo object, especially where tho peat has been
previously heated.
Fifthly. In passing hot air or superheated steam, or hot air and
dried steam combined, into moist peat placed in a large iron vessel by
means of tubes pierced with holes inserted in the vessel's bottom, and 2
this process may be continued till the peat is charred.
Sixthly. In drying, charring, reducing to ash, and extracting tar from
peat by burning it in a stack or heap as taken fresh from the bog by
the system patented by Mr. E. Sonstadt, for burning seaweed. The
foundation of the stack is prepared by laying down bricks circularly and 3
sloping to a centre with channels to receive and draw off the peat liquor,
tar, &c.; in the centre of this brick foundation a central stack is mado
with four pieces of wood placed at the corners, dry peat being packed
between them, the wood is used as a support merely; the whole of this
central core is then surrounded by moist peat fresh dug, which is first 3
allowed to drain on the bank if convenient, and if not it is piled on wet
as it comes all over and round the stack; an air channel below is left

page_text: open to keep up the combustion. As the peat dries more and more
moist peat is added, and the charring process proceeds continuously
within whilst the inmost part is reduced to ash; thus any number of
heaps may be simultaneously fired and large quantities of dried or
charred peat or asli may be obtained as well as the liquors and tar which
run into the chambers prepared for them, and the peat thus partially
dried may be manipulated if so desired.
Seventhly. In using dredgers armed in front with teeth or scrapers to
remove the peat from bogs where boats can be used with a steam engine
on board to work them; these dredgers are fitted in their sides with
strainers so as to allow of the passage of the superfluous water. The
peat so raised is where desired further prepared by the above-described
machinery, and is delivered on shore by a side delivery apparatus such
as is in common use, or such as is used for delivering mud and sand
from the Suez Canal to its banks, where dredging is inconvenient. I
prefer to use in combination with my other apparatus several of
Brosowsky's peat cutters as described on pages 113 and 114 of Johnson
on Peat and its Uses, either attached to a boat or worked on land, or else
the common French turf-cutter.
Eighthly. In drying and charring peat by passing either superheated
steam or hot air through it by the following novel means:-I employ a
circular oven having a central hollow iron pillar properly supported; on
this perforated iron trays or discs are arranged and secured at conve
nient distances one above another; over these a cover resembling a
gasholder made of sheet iron is let down, being raised and lowered by
means of chains passing over pullies and counterpoised by weights.
When the trays are charged superheated steam or hot air is either driven
or drawn in by an exhaust through holes placed below, and this charged
with vapour escapes into the air either through orifices made above in the
cover or through the hollow in the central iron pillar, to be conveyed by
an underground channel to condensers for concentrating and utilising
the products of distillation where such is desired in order to convey
them to the furnace; by having several of such ovens the charring
process is rendered continuous, as one is cooling and refilling while the
others are charring.

page_text: attached to it all round is placed centrally, and made to revolve with its
trays in a brick or iron semicircular chamber closed in at top; this
chamber is open on one side, the trays are slotted at their semi-diameter
from their circumferences to their centres corresponding with the size of
the opening so as to admit of iron sliding doors passing between them,
and thus closing the orifices left open in the brickwork of the furnace,
so that one half of the trays are always exposed while the contents of the
other half are being charred, so that in this interval the open trays can
be cooled down, emptied, and recharged. This system is more applicable
to small works, but the simple furnaces first described are recommended
for works on a large scale.
By another method partially dried peat in small lumps may be readily
charred by being let down by a pulley on perforated trays connected
with iron links or chains into iron or brick cylinders having their ends
closed by moveable tops and bottoms, the hot air or superheated steam
being let in from one or more pipes inserted in the cylinder near its
bottom, and let out by one or more similar pipes inserted near its top
where trays are not used; the bottom is furnished with a moveable
grating which supports the peat while the moveable bottom is being
secured; this grating is secured by a hinge on one side and is raised and
lowered at the other by means of a chain or bar which is secured above.
The covers of the cylinder are secured in the same way as in gas
furnaces; the cylinder instead of being made of iron may be made of
clay, like those of the gas retorts.
Ninthly. In improvements in the peat charcoal kilns as constructed
at Oberndorf in Bohemia. I insert into or near the domes of these
furnaces largo tubes, by means of which to carry off and save all volatile
matters rising during the charring, and I also construct channels below
to convey away the tarry matters formed and percolating to the bottom;
I further construct these furnaces both higher and larger, so as to admit
of fresh peat being thrown in from the orifice above in the dome as the
charred mass gradually desceuds; 1 further apply the electric current to
the incandescant mass by means of iron rods or bars of graphite inserted
into the furnace on opposites sides and at various heights, by which
means the charcoal is rendered more dense, purer, moro portable and a
better suited for the smelting of iron and the manufacture of steel.
Tenthly. In the application of peat charcoal generally, but moro par-
ticularly that prepared by my improved Oberndorf furnace by means of

page_text: the electric current, to deodorising and purifying alcohol and spirits
generally of whatever sort, shale and other napthas, bituminous oils,
essential oils of plants and their fixed oils, either by means of filtration
through peat charcoal beds or by distillation in conjunction with peat
charcoal.
Eleventhly. In the application of dry peat in powder, peat ashes, and
peat burnt with clay and pulverised, to cesspools and night pans, for
placing in urinals and under horses in stables, and in pits for deodorising.
drains and farmyards. My improvements.consist in using these separately.
or combined for these purposes; the dry peat being a great absorbent.
takes up far more liquid than charcoal, and its ash being full of salts
adds greatly to the value of the manure; for cesspools I prefer to use
the dried peat; for closets, in lieu of dry clay or water, peat burnt with
clay and pulverised; for manure heaps, cither equal parts of dried peat.
to one part peat ash, or two of the former to one part of the latter
for filtering sewage I prefer to use peat charcoal and peat burnt with
clay.
;
Twelfthly. In the application of peat ashes in combination with other
substances in order to mako special manures; thus for example, I com-
bine one ton of peat ashes with, more or less, five hundredweight of
superphosphate of lime; or one ton of peat ashes with five hundred-
weight, more or less, of small crushed bones and two hundred of
sulphate of iron; this mixture is allowed to ferment, being previously
moistened with water or by preference with urine or farmyard soakage;
or in lieu of the sulphate of iron I mix the heap well with the spent
refuse acids after metal has been dipped in them, commonly called
dipping acid, which causes the bones to be rapidly disintegrated; these
are a few examples only of many combinations that may be made with
other mineral manures for special purposes, such as, by the addition of
the nitrates of soda and potash, the muriates and sulphates of ammonia
and others well known of a similar nature. The quantities above
quoted are sufficient to broadcast drill from two to three acres of
wheatgrass or roots; the powder may also be mixed with advantage
and applied in the ordinary way with common farmyard manure.
Thirteenthly. In the application of dried peat, peat charcoal, and peat
water, concentrated or otherwise, to the preservation of meat and fish.
The method I prefer to adopt is to slaughter the animal on tho spot, to:

page_text: •
clean and subject the carcase or joints to the influence of steam or
superheated steam for a short time, after which it is either dipped by
preference into melted paraffino, or the paraffine is poured and distri-
buted hot by a brush over it, when it is then packed layer by layer with
peat in barrels or in divisions properly prepared in a ship's hold in pure
dried peat, over which water, or by preference peat water, is then
poured, thus meat may be preserved by housekeepers and butchers in
hot weather in peat covered with peat water; by keeping dry peat in
the house it is casy to add water. The fish should be gutted and bo
preserved fresh. Peat charcoal will always be found useful to place in
bags in order to be suspended in milk, and also in beer barrels to prevent
their turning, as also to be placed in boxes to cover cooked meat, cheese,
or other food liable to become soon corrupted.
The reason why I uso
paraffine is chiefly to preserve the meat on its passage from the ship to
the salesman's or butcher's shop, the paraffino is removed prior to cooking
by placing the joint in boiling water just long enough to melt it and
cause it to rise to the surface, where it is skimmed off, and is fit to serve
again and again for the same purpose. I uso the liquor or water of peat
concentrated or otherwise for the purpose of tanning hides, and also for
preserving them in the holds of vessels during the voyage; thus the
hides are packed by preference in wet peat, other ingredients may also
be added to the peat or peat water to assist the process of tanning, such
as oak bark, &c. Meat that has been slightly pressed by Henley's
process, as well as fish pressed or otherwise, can be well preserved also
by these means, and thus most of the juice of the meat which would be 2
lost by being much pressed is preserved, and gives its flavour to the
meat. Considering the vast quantities of peat and its well known
antiseptic qualities it seems wonderful that it should not long ago have
been used for the purposes of preserving animal and other food.
Fourteenthly. In combining unburnt peat prepared by my processes, 3
whether in the form of powder or lumps, with peat also charred by my
processes, with or without the addition of small coals or coal dust, but
with the addition of a sufficiency of pitch and tar to combine them by
means of heat, as of superheated steam applied as above described
through the hollow arms of a pug mill. When thus softened and 3
pugged it is ready, on passing from the mill, to be either cut into blocks
as it passes out in a continuous band or to be subjected to compression
for formation into balls, cubes, or prisms.

page_text: .. The object in having many and various machines and methods instead
of a few only of operating on peat is to be able to treat with facility
various kinds and qualities of it, which differ more or less in their
nature;
thus the brown long fibred tough peat is very unlike the sort
termed bog muck, which is soft, casily reduced to pulp, and which forms
a sort of soup-like mixture with the water, from which it separates with
far-greater difficulty; where weather and climate will permit the natural
course of allowing the pugged or triturated peat to drain by itself in
large tanks placed on mats or strainers arranged on false bottoms till dry
enough to be cut up and handled should be adopted, and every peat
manufactory should be supplied with a sufficient number of such tanks
under cover if possible, or in the open to admit of the slower, and thuś
the cheaper process being made available; but as a rule, seeing that peat
cannot be advantageously worked in this manner all the year round it
is of the utmost importance to have. the best machinery so as to work
independantly of this slow process and far more rapidly, even though at
a greater primary expenditure, and which can advantageously supple-
ment draining tanks which have already done a part of the work in
discharging by simple gravitation some of the water..
In some cases I supplement my straining and compressing processes
by screw and hydraulic pressure. The utility of this however is a
question of capital and time, for the presses are costly and require time
to work then, though not so much as would be supposed, owing to the
diminution in bulk resulting from former processes, so that what would
be a complete failure as a paying process were these presses alone to be
used to express all the water out of so bulky a material may answer well
enough where the object is to save fuel and time in drying, and where
there is ample steam, water, or other engine power available. Where
fuel is abundant, and the time required for drying not very important,
the latter process may prove the cheapest, but where hard and compact
peat or charcoal is desired the pressed peat must be considered best.
In large works the process of stack burning described under "sixthly”
will be useful as the cheapest means of obtaining the peat in a variety
of forms, the ash and charred peat being thus at once obtained in the
forms most readily available for manures, while the partly dried and
drained peat outside can be remanipulated by machinery.
In many localitics one of my simplest forms of pug mill with steam
introduced into it sunnlemented. he steam pressure and the roller ond

page_text: the peat descending from D, D, to the cylindrical oval shaped vessel E, E;
F, F, and. G, G, are stop-cocks which admit the passage of the peat
respectively from the vessel D, D, to the vessel E, E, and thence, to the
strainer 8, 8. P, O, is the steam pipe coming direct from the steam
chest and boiler, having three pipes R, R¹, and R" communicating with
the upper-part of each vessel--D,D,E,E,˜ and¨¯8, 8, respectively, each
being furnished with a stop-cock r, r¹, pl. T, T, T, is a pipe furnished
with a stop-cock for allowing the steam in E, E, to escape into the
hopper H when the peat is driven into E, E, by the steam pressure on
the surface of the peat in D, D. When the vessel E, E, has in this
manner been filled with peat the stop-cock G, G, having been closed
while the stop-cock F, F, is opened, the stop-cock G, G, is opened and
the stop-cock F, F; is closed; in like manner the stop-cock r on the.
steam pipe R is closed, and the stop-cock 7¹ on the steam pipe P, O, is
opened, the steam immediately forcing the peat from the vessel E, E,
into the strainer 8, 8. If at any time an additional steam prossure is
required in the strainer 8, 8, the third stop-cock R", ", is also opened
occasionally. Any number of these steam chests and strainers may be
placed alongside each other and the cocks revolving or sliding be made
) to communicate from one to the other so that the same shaft may turn
them simultaneously; they may also be placed in communication with
one large common receiver or with several at pleasure, and this receiver
may be open if of a sufficient depth, arrangements may further be made
for opening and shutting all the cocks by the engine automatically.
Fig. 3 shows the section of a centrifugal apparatus. H is the hopper
supplying the peat to the orifice o, o, whence it passes all round between
the double strainer 8,8,8,8,8,8,8,8. This double strainer has its upper
and lower part in the form of large discs which may be formed of metal
perforated, or of wire gauze or pierced metal, or wood framing lined
O with canvas, as filters, and are united together with pieces of wood or
metal radially arranged, or in curves which form divisions, and admit of
the peat passing with facility along the channels so formed; thus united
they are secured to a strong shaft revolving on a pivot at p and a collar
at D¹ by means of a rigger and band not drawn; as the peat passes
down between the strainers it parts with its water both above and below;
that above escaping into a fixed circular channel d, d, into which the
outer rim of the strainer 8 8 8 8, enters at c, c, and the water thus
collected is conveyed away from d, d, by a pipe not drawn; in like
R

page_text: manner the water which drains off from the strainer below is collected
in the vessel g, I, I, I, which is secured below the lower strainer, the
lip e, e, of the lower strainer restraining the water thus driven off and
causing it to fall into the fixed receptacle 7, 9, 9, 9, whence in like
manner it is conveyed away by another pipe which is not drawn, but
which unites with the water pipe from the upper strainer. The peat thus
partially dried is forced out between the two strainers as a circular cako
passing out at the circular orifice ƒ, a, f;a; this orifice all round is curved
downwards in order to cause resistance to the centrifugal motion, and
prevents the too rapid exit of the thin peat or bog muck. The distance
between the two strainers as woll their size and the depth of curvo at
the exit must be regulated according to the nature and the degree of
fluidity of the peat operated on. Other forms of apparatus on the
principle of centrifugal motion may also be used, the abovo is merely
given as an example of one of them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Henry Cradock Monckton,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
July One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.