An Improved Composition or Compound Designed to Serve as a Substitute for Wood, and also applicable for the Manufacture of Bricks and Crucibles, Retorts, and other Articles of Earthenware.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Composition or Compound Designed to Serve as a
Substitute for Wood, and also applicable for the Manufacture of
Bricks and Crucibles, Retorts, and other Articles of Earthenware.
I, WILLIAM ALEXANDER KERR, of 31, East Parade, Rhyl, in the County of
Flint, North Wales, retired Cavalry Captain, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a composition or compound designed to serve as a
substitute for wood and also applicable for the manufacture of bricks and crucibles,
retorts and other articles of earthenware.
My composition or compound consists of a variety of talc containing hydrated
silicate of magnesia and alumina, or of kaolin or china-clay, either incorporated
with or free from silica (pure sand) of various clays or clayey loams, and of
sphagnum which is a kind of moss or of peat, either in the condition of fibre
or granules.
In making the improved compound, the talc and other mineral ingredients are
reduced to a pulverized condition by any suitable means, and then tempered and
mixed with the sphagnum or the like. The compound thus formed is moulded into
any desired form and then burned or fired, whereby the peat is consumed so that
the remaining mass is in a porous condition.
In some cases, for instance, in the manufacture of fire-bricks and other articles.
which have to be highly refractory, I combine so much sphagnum or peat with the
mixture that the firing process can be performed without the addition of other fuel
than that contained in the mixture, whereby the cracking or rending of the green
bricks or earthenware is obviated as far as possible.
Dated the 23rd day of April 1891.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Composition or Compound Designed to Serve as a
Substitute for Wood, and also applicable for the Manufacture of
Bricks and Crucibles, Retorts, and other Articles of Earthenware.
I, WILLIAM ALEXANDER KERR, of 31, East Parade, Rhyl, in the County of
Flint, North Wales retired Cavalry Captain, 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 relates to a composition or compound designed to serve as a
substitute for wood and also applicable for the manufacture of bricks and crucibles,
retorts and other articles of earthenware.
According to my invention I make use of a variety of talc containing hydrated
silicate of magnesia and alumina, of kaolin or china-clay, either incorporated with.
or free from silica (pure sand), and of various clays or clayey loams, and I mix or
combine one or more of such substances with sphagnum which is a kind of moss,
or with peat, either in the condition of fibre or granules or with the said sphagnum
and peat combined.
In making the improved compound, the talc or other mineral ingredient or
ingredients is or are reduced to a pulverized condition by any suitable means, and
then tempered and mixed with the sphagnum or peat or sphagnum and peat

page_text: The compound thus formed is moulded into any desired form and then burned or
fired whereby the sphagnum and peat are consumed so that the remaining mass is
in a porous condition.
In some cases, for instance, in the manufacture of fire-bricks and other articles
which have to be highly refractory, I combine so much sphagnum and peat with
the mixture that the firing process can be performed without the addition of other
fuel than that contained in the mixture, whereby the cracking or rending of the
green bricks or earthenware is obviated as far as possible.
In preparing the talc or clay the treatment will necessarily vary somewhat
according to their nature. As a rule, however, I carefully weather them, that is
to say, I expose fresh won clay, piled on the open ground to the action of the
sun's rays, rain and frost, by which means the process of pulverization is much
accelerated. Having weathered the talc, kaolin, and argillaceous earths I subject
them to a thorough milling process in a "chaser mill" working on the principle of
the Mexican "arrastre" used for pulverizing ores; or, in the case of many of the
alluvial and sedimentary kinds of "surface" clays, after the weathering process I
merely temper the material in large circular pits, dug in the ground, in which a
large iron or stone wheel rotates and with a reciprocal motion slides backward
and forwards upon its shaft, from the centre of the pit to its extreme
circumference.
I next effect the mixture of the sphagnum and other varieties of peat with the
plastic mass, so that as perfect a homogeneity of the various component parts as
possible may ensue, the excellence of the burned ware depending largely on this
operation.
66
In the case of light bricks manufactured from tempered surface material I
deposit a layer of tempered and pulverized clay or earth about three inches in
depth upon a smooth floor. On the top of this layer, I place a layer of screened
sphagnum and peat-meal or dust and red fibrous-peat known as "horse-flesh," all
branches of trees and pieces of bug timber having been previously screened out,
and the fibrous peat shredded or scutched in a suitably constructed "devil" or
opener." To some of these clays I also add nodules of brown, black, or stone
peat, or of artificially condensed peat. The depth of this layer of sphagnum and
peat will depend on the amount of porosity required to be given to the burnt
product. This layer as well as the earthy layer underlying it is then freely wetted
by a spraying hose. I continue these alternate layers of clay or earth and
sphagnum and peat and sprinklings until a pile of alternate layers, five or six feet
in height, is reached.
Each heap, irrespective of the peat, may hold about 35 tons sufficient for a
day's working of the mixing press. Over the heap I spread wetted peat blankets
or old carpets which are kept frequently sprinkled to prevent evaporation. In
48 hours the mass ripens, the moisture owing to the absorptive powers of the peat,
being evenly distributed.
It is now in a proper condition to be taken to the mixing press which is
advantageously constructed on the augur principle and in shape is something like
a large gun. Men with sharpened shovels, mounting on the top of the pile, cut
thin slices down and off from the end or side of the pile, which slices as they
tumble over onto the floor are vigorously worked up, stirred and agitated by other
workmen with shovels moving the mass towards the mixing press above referred
to or the mass after being worked up, may travel to the mixing press on an
endless belt or rollers.
In the case of talc, kaolin, and other clays requiring a high heat for their
reduction in the firing process I introduce briquettes, thin slabs and nodules of
artificially condensed peat into the kiln. These clays, after being weathered, are
reduced to powder by being passed through a rapidly rotating disintegrator or
grinder and thence, after being incorporated with sphagnum and fibrous and meal
peat, are carried to the "mixing press."
The *mixing press" is shaped like a large piece of ordnance placed horizontally

page_text: on the factory floor. It may be cast whole or built of steel plates. Adjusted to
its interior, and occupying nearly the full length of this hollow cylinder, is a heavy
horizontal shaft fitted with steel blades pitched at an angle of about 15° towards
the small or delivery end, after the fashion of a sausage machine, so that it in some
degree resembles an immense screw or augur bit. This armed shaft revolving
slowly on its bearings, forces the well kneaded "pugged" material forward towards
the smaller end of the cylinder and out through the die, which is of any suitable
shape. The cylinder is fed from a hopper at its larger end. The dies are made
of steel, of any desired pattern and are attached by simple devices to the small end
of the press, are easily removed, and are interchangeable.
The moulded articles of clay are in this manner endowed with a tenacious fibre,
the tensile strength of which is proportionate to the quantity of sphagnum aul
fibrous peat employed, and the thoroughness of its distribution throughout the
mass; the compound is rendered close-bodied, tough and elastic, and the ordinary
dangers to be apprehended in the drying stage viz. cracking and warping, are
averted. In addition the compound carries with it its own firing fuel in such a form
as to permit of low and long firing.
The density of the column of green compressed clay, as it leaves the die, owing
to the presence of so much fibre and other vegetable matter, renders its division by
the usual method of tightly stretched wires impossible and in fact it can only with
great difficulty be cut with a knife. In order therefore, to cut up the
material I place a swinging buzz-saw over the farthest end of the table under
which the column is conducted by an arrangement of small rolls. Saws with
removable teeth are preferable.
It is of course most economical to dry the material in the open air. As however
the weather will not always allow this to be done and my object is to work all
the year round I employ drying rooms or avenues into which I force air heated to
200 degrees Fahrenheit by waste heat passing off in the process of burning and of
cooling burnt bricks in patent or other kilns; by waste gases from boilers and
exhaust steam from steam engines or by heat from other suitable sources, the
moisture evaporated by the bricks and earthenware being carried off through hollow
walls constructed for the purpose. The superficial area of these rooms is very
considerable, they save a large amount of labour, dry rapidly without cracking or
distorting the clay, are cheap to erect, and can be supplied with heat at a very
small cost.
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 :-
A composition or compound designed to serve as a substitute for wood and also
applicable for the manufacture of bricks and crucibles, retorts and other articles
of earthenware and consisting of a variety of talc containing hydrated silicate of
magnesia and alumina, or of kaolin or china-clay, either incorporated with or free
from silica (pure sand), or of various clays or clayey loams, or two or more of such
substances, combined with sphagnum or peat either in the condition of fibres
and granules, or with sphagnum and peat in combination, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Dated the 20th day of February 1892.