Improvements in the Manufacture of Blocks or Briquettes of Fuel from Small Coal, Slack, Coal-dust, and Coke-dust.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 10th June, 1893.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Blocks or Briquettes of Fuel
from Small Coal, Slack, Coal-dust, and Coke-dust.
We, GOTTFRIED HUTTEMANN, of Wiklitz, near Karbits, Bohemia, in the
Empire of Austria, Director of Mines, and GUSTAV SPIECKER, of 46 Bachstrasse,
Bonn, in the Empire of Germany, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of blocks or
"briquettes" of fuel for the purpose of utilizing small coal, slack, coal-dust and
coke-dust.
Such small coal, slack, or dust forms usually an almost valueless product, that
is to say, in the case of brown coal and coke almost always, and in the case of
black coal according to the quality of the same, such, for instance as in the case of
the very dry-burning or close-burning coal called anthracite. The customary
employment of such small coal, slack or dust for mixed coals is frequently precluded
by the position of the mine relatively to the principal places of consumption, for
mixed coals, on account of the highness of the freights, which renders the sale of
the same impracticable.
This slight value has a great effect upon the proceeds of the respective mines, as
frequently the small coal or slack (with a size of grain up to 10 millimetres)
constitutes half or an even greater proportion of the coal extracted.
As the cost of the extraction or of the entire working depends upon the small
coal, slack or dust, corresponding to its quantity, the coarser products are too
much burdened in consequence of the small value of the small coal, slack or dust.
For better utilizing such small coal, slack or dust which is almost valueless,
numerous trials have been made with the object of obtaining available coal
products. Binding agents have been proposed mixed with the small coal, slack or
dust and this mixture has been compressed, either in the cold state or after being
heated, to form solid cakes, bricks or blocks. Of the many binding agents
proposed and employed, use is generally made of coal-tar pitch. This substance
has a very unpleasant smell of volatile empyreumatic substances. This unpleasant
smell is also retained by the blocks or briquettes made with the same, and it is
disagreeably perceptible not only when such blocks or briquettes are stored in
cellars (whereby vegetables and fruit are rendered inedible) and in the coal-scuttles
in rooms, but also in the burning of the fuel by reason of the emission of a great
deal of smoke. For this reason the blocks or briquettes made with coal-tar pitch
have not been employed to a great extent, despite their handy size and moderate
price, for domestic fuel, and still less as drawing-room fuel for magazine, regulating
and so-called American stoves. There can be no doubt, however, that it is
important and must certainly be profitable to manufacture really suitable blocks or.
briquettes from small coal, slack or dust of little value, especially for drawing-room
fuel, capable of replacing the anthracite nut-coals, as the production of these coals
is far behind the requirements, and they realize a high price; yet even with this
product there are often complaints regarding the proportion of incombustible
stones or rocks and the crumbling during the storing. Anthracite nut-coals are so
much liked, because they burn without smoke and without smell, because they
produce no soot or but an extremely small quantity thereof, and because they fuse
or cake together in the burning, so that, with a suitably arranged stove (such, for
instance as the magazine, regulating or the so-called American stoves) and even
with but little attention as regards the regulation, the fire may be kept up for
weeks.

page_text: The object of the present invention is to manufacture from the almost valueless
slack or dust or refuse of black coal (anthracite coal), brown coal, or coke, blocks
or briquettes which not only possess the above mentioned advantageous properties
of the anthracite nut-coals (and also absence of smell and solidity) but are also
without the disadvantageons properties, namely the proportion of incombustible
stones or rocks and the crumbling, and can be kept without being deteriorated, or
suffering under the action of atmospheric influences. This object is attained by
making compressed blocks or briquettes from the small coal, slack, or dust by the
aid of a suitable binding agent which does not possess the aforesaid injurious
properties of coal-tar pitch, but imparts to the compressed material the quality
just characterised as being desirable. This binding agent, which acts adran-
tageously in a very high degree as compared with the binding agents heretofore
known, is, according to the present invention, resinous pitch. Kesin itself cannot
be employed, as amongst other things it causes an emission of sparks in the burning
of the blocks or briquettes made therewith.
The resinous pitch employed is produced from the resins extracted from the
coniferae by distilling or boiling them at a temperature of about from 260
to 300 degrees centigrade. The residue, that is to say, the resinous pitch, then
remaining in the distilling vessel or in the boiler, is an odourless pitch of very
great binding or cementing power. Such resinous pitch is intimately mixed in the
liquid or in the solidified dry state (in the latter case preferably by means of a
disintegrator) with the small coal, slack or dust to be worked up. After the
heating to be suitably effected by ordinary or superheated steam, the mixture is
compressed under a great pressure. For this purpose the well-known forms of
compressing apparatus are sufficient. An addition of from 5 to 6 per cent. of the
above described resinous pitch to the small coal, slack or dust to be worked up is
generally enough. In this manner blocks or briquettes are obtained at a small
cost which possess according to trials made, the above described desired properties
and which are in every respect suitable for replacing the anthracite nut-coals, and
which even supersede them as regards purity (absence of incombustible stones or
rocks) and solidity (in the storing).
Blocks or briquettes manufactured in this manner are not affected by moisture
and water. Moreover, the manufacture of these blocks is perfectly odourless, and
free from the generation of vapours or gases injurious to the eyes, skin and
breathing organs, such as takes place in the most unpleasant manner when using
coal-tar pitch.
Dated this 15th day of Databan 1802
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Blocks or Briquettes of Fuel
from Small Coal, Slack, Coal-dust, and Coke-dust.
We, GOTTFRIED HUTTEMANN, of Wiklitz, near Karbits, Bohemia, in the
Empire of Austria, Director of Mines, and GUSTAV SPIECKER, of 46 Bachstrasse,
Bonn, in the Empire of Germany, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described in and by the following statement:--
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of blocks or
❝ briquettes of fuel for the purpose of utilizing small coal, slack, coal-dust, and
coke-dust.
"
Such small coal, slack, or dust forms usually an almost valueless product, that is
to say, in the case of brown coal and coke almost always, and in the case of black
coal, according to the quality of the same, as, for instance, in the case of the very

page_text: dry-burning or close-burning coal called anthracite. The customary employment
of such small coal, slack or dust for mixed coal is frequently precluded by the
position of the mine relatively to the principal places of consumption for mixed
coal, on account of the highness of the freights, which renders the sale of the same
impracticable.
This slight value has a great effect upon the proceeds of the respective mines, as
frequently the small coal or slack (with a size of grain up to 10 millimeters)
constitutes one-half or an even greater proportion of the coal extracted.
As the cost of the extraction or of the entire working depends upon the small
coal, slack or dust, corresponding to its quantity, the coarser products are too
much burdened in consequence of the small value of the small coal, slack or
dust.
For better utilizing such small coal, slack or dust, which is almost valueless,
numerous trials have been made with the object of obtaining available coal pro-
ducts. Binding agents have been proposed mixed with the small coal, slack or dust,
and this mixture has been compressed either in the cold state or after being heated,
to form solid cakes, bricks or blocks. Of the many binding agents proposed and
employed, use is generally made of coal-tar pitch. This substance has a very
unpleasant smell of volatile empyreumatic substances. This unpleasant smell is
also retained by the blocks or briquettes made with the same, and it is disagreeably
perceptible not only when such blocks or briquettes are stored in cellars (whereby
any vegetables and fruit that may be placed in such cellars are rendered inedible)
and in the coal-scuttles in rooms, but also in the burning of the fuel by reason of
the emission of a great deal of smoke. For this reason the blocks or briquettes
made with coal-tar pitch, despite their handy size and moderate price, have not
been employed to a great extent for domestic fuel, and still less as drawing-room
fuel for magazine, regulating and so-called American stoves.
There can be no doubt, however, that it is important and must certainly be
profitable to manufacture really suitable blocks or briquettes from small coal, slack
or dust, of little value, especially for drawing-room fuel, capable of replacing the
anthracite nut coals, as the production of these coals is far behind the requirements,
and they realize a high price; yet even with this product, there are often
complaints regarding the proportion of incombustible stones or rocks and the
crumbling during the storing. Anthracite nut coals are so much liked, because
they burn without smoke and without smell, because they produce no soot or but
an extremely small quantity thereof, and because they fuse or cake together in the
burning, so that, with a suitably arranged stove (such, for instance as the
magazine, regulating or the so-called American stoves) and even with but little
attention as regards the regulation, the fire may be kept up for weeks.
The object of the present invention is to manufacture from the almost valueless
slack or dust or refuse of black coal (anthracite coal), brown coal, or coke, blocks
or briquettes which not only possess the above mentioned advantageous properties
of the anthracite nut coals (and also absence of smell and solidity) but are also
without the disadvantageous properties, namely the proportion of incombustible stones
or rocks and the crumbling, and can be kept without becoming deteriorated, or
suffering under the action of atmospheric influences. This object is attained by
making compressed blocks or briquettes from the small coal, slack, or dust by the
aid of a suitable binding agent which does not possess the aforesaid injurious
properties of coal-tar pitch, but imparts to the compressed material the quality just
characterised as being desirable. This binding agent, which acts advantageously
in a very high degree as compared with the binding agents heretofore known, is,
according to the present invention, resinous pitch, extracted from resin obtained
from the coniferæ and practically free from the resin essence (pinolin).
Resin itself cannot be employed, as, amongst other things, it causes an emission
of sparks in the burning of the blocks or briquettes made therewith.
The resinous pitch employed is produced from the resins extracted from the
coniferæ by distilling or boiling them at a temperature of about from 260 to

page_text: 300 degrees centigrade. The residue after the extraction of the resin essence (pinolin),
that is to say, the resinous pitch then remaining in the distilling vessel or in the
boiler, is an odourless pitch of very great binding or cementing power. The same
is also adapted for use in summer, owing to the absence of resin essence (pinolin),
and, even in a warmer state, it is still capable of sufficient pulverization. Such
resinous pitch is intimately mixed in the liquid or in the solidified dry state (in the
latter case preferably by means of a disintegrator) with the small coal, slack or
dust to be worked up. After the heating, to be suitably effected by ordinary or
superheated steam, the mixture is compressed under a great pressure. For this
purpose the well-known forms of compressing apparatus are sufficient. An addition
of from 5 to 6 per cent. of the above described resinous pitch to the small coal,
slack or dust to be worked up, is generally enough. In this manner we are enabled
to obtain, at a small cost, blocks or briquettes which possess, according to trials
made, the above described desired properties, and which are in every respect
suitable for replacing the anthracite nut-coals, and which even supersede them
as regards purity (absence of incombustible stones or rocks) and solidity (in the
storing).
Blocks or briquettes manufactured in this manner are not affected by moisture
and water. Moreover, the manufacture of these blocks is perfectly odourless,
and free from the generation of vapours or gases injurious to the eyes, skin and
breathing organs, such as occurs in the most unpleasant manner when using coal-tar
pitch.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is ;-
First. The manufacture of blocks or briquettes of fuel from small coal, slack,
coal-dust, coke-dust or the like, by mixing the same with a binding agent consisting
of the resinous pitch which is obtained as a residue in the distillation or boiling (at
a temperature of about 300° C.) of the resins extracted from the coniferæ, and from
which the resin essence (pinolin) has been practically eliminated by such distillation
or boiling, and then compressing the mixture thus obtained.
Second. As an article of manufacture, a block or briquette of fuel, consisting
essentially of small coal, slack, coal-dust, coke-dust or the like, and of a binding
agent composed of the above described resinous pitch, practically free from
resin-essence (pinolin), substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of April 1893
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C,
Agents for the Applicants.