IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, WHICH APPARATUS MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: Sealed the 11th January 1868, and dated the 13th July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Fletcher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
July 1867.
I, HENRY FLETCHER, of 39, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, WHICH
APPARATUS MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR OTHER PURPOSES;" to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct an apparatus for drying and
heating coal and mixing the coal with pitch or other substance simultaneously,
or the coal may be first heated and dried, and subsequently mixed with pitch
in another operation; the adhesive substance may be farina or silicate of soda

page_text: where heat is not required, and the apparatus acts only as a mixer; this
apparatus may also be used for drying or mixing other substances not intended
for fuel making, such as ceramic purposes and artificial manures. I construct
a hollow cylinder of a circular or other form, and cause it to rotate laterally
upon fixed bearings. Underneath the cylinder I place a fire, and the rotation
of the cylinder gives a uniform heat all round. The fixed bearings are placed
one higher than the other, and so that the cylinder is not in a horizontal
position, but on a slant or incline, and thus the coal or other substance when
put in at the highest end will come in contact with the inner surface of the
heated cylinder and will gradually fall out at the lower end. I have also blades,
plates, or agitators within the cylinder and attached to a spindle or other axle
which is made to rotate either in a contrary direction to that of the cylinder,
or to rotate at a different speed. The coal or other substance is thus thrown
about in a shower, causing the hot air as well as the heated cylinder to act
upon cach separate particle, and at the same time a thorough admixture of
the coal or other material is thus obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the
13th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
FLETCHER, of 39, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Fletcher, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Fletcher,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Fletcher, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, WHICH APPARATUS MAY
ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Henry Fletcher, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,.
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Fletcher, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to construct an apparatus for drying and
heating coal, and mixing the coal with pitch or other substance simultaneously.
or the coal may be first heated and dried and subsequently mixed with pitch in
another operation; the adhesive substance may be farina or silicate of soda
where heat is not required, and the apparatus acts only as a mixer; this
apparatus may also be used for drying or mixing other substances not intended
for fuel making, such as for ceramic purposes, artificial manures, and wet
corn. I construct a hollow cylinder of a conical or other form, and cause it to
rotate laterally upon bearings. Underneath the cylinder when required as a
heater I place a fire, and the rotation of the cylinder gives a uniform heat all
round; the bearings are placed so that one may be higher than the other
and regulated as required, and so that the cylinder is not in a horizontal
position, but on a slant or incline, and thus the coal or other substance when
put in at the highest end will come in contact with the inner surface of the
heated cylinder, and will gradually fall out at the lower end. I have also
blades, plates, or agitators within the cylinder and attached to a spindle or other
axle which is made to rotate either in a contrary direction to that of the cylinder
or to rotate at a different speed in the same direction. These blades may be
placed on a bevel or askew, or have the pitch of a screw by which the dis-
charge of the material may be facilitated and effected even if the discharge
end of the cylinder be horizontal with or higher than the receiving end of the
cylinder. The coal or other substance is thus by the combined action of the
cylinder and the agitator thrown about in a shower causing the hot air as well
as the heated cylinder when required as a heater to act upon each particle, and
at the same time a thorough admixture of the materials is obtained.
In order that my Invention may be fully explained I have attached hereto
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, similar letters of reference relating to
similar parts.

page_text: Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2, a horizontal section; Fig. 3 shews the
cylinder end and its bearing; Fig. 4 shews also the cylinder end in section
and the arms and blades of the agitator.
A is the cylinder; B, the blades which may be placed parallel as in Fig. 2,
or askew as shewn in Fig. 4. C is a drum; fixed on the top is a hopper or
feeder C; at C are apertures for the delivery of the materials; rotating
inside the drum is a shaft D operated by any suitable power; on this shaft is
a worm D¹, and the end E projecting beyond the bearing is square. At that
part of the drum marked F the wheel F¹, F¹, with its boss rotates actuated by
the pinion F, or in any other suitable manner; that part of the boss marked
G is square.
The receiving end of the cylinder has a cover with a square
aperture sufficiently large to be easily placed upon the square G, and will thus
rotate with it; the other or delivery end of the cylinder H has three arms, as
shewn in Fig. 3, and rotates upon the fixed axle or bearing attached to the
adjustable girder I, which may be raised or lowered as required by the screws
J, J, actuated by the hand wheel and bevel gearing K, or in any other con-
venient manner. The blades B, B, B, are affixed to the arms L, L, L, as
shewn in Figs. 2 and 4, and the boss of the arms at E is made with a square
centre to fit easily on the projecting end of the shaft D and to rotate with it.
The other or delivery end of the blades is constructed with a spindle or axle
which works through the cylinder end H and rotates upon the bearing attached
to the girder I. The delivery end of the cylinder has a number of apertures
M, M, Figs. 1, 2, and 4. A stationary iron belt M¹ is placed around these
apertures so as nearly to close the said apertures, except one or two at the
lower part, a stationary shield may also be placed so as to close in the delivery
end of the cylinder leaving an aperture at the top for the escape of steam, &c.
N is a fire-grate; O, the flues leading to the chimney.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-A fire is used when required.
and the coal or other material is placed in the hopper C¹ from which it falls
on to the worm D' in the drum C, and through the apertures C into the
cylinder A, which is rotated as also are the blades B; the material being thrown
about in a shower is delivered through the apertures M into the trough Q, and
the fuel may be pressed into blocks, or other material may be treated as
desired.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein set forth, as
there may be a deviation therefrom without departing from the principle of
my Invention; but I claim the adjustable rotating cylinder and blades and

page_text: set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Fletcher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Henry Fletcher, in
the presence of
E. T. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
London.
HENRY FLETCHER. (L.S.)