IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR DRYING PEAT, PEAT COMPOUNDS, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George Ainslie, of 3, East India Avenue,
Leadenhall Strect, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR DRYING PEAT, PEAT COMPOUNDS, AND OTHER
MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George Ainslie
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th December 1868.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE AINSLIE, of 3, East India Avenue, Leadenhall
Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR DRYING PEAT, PEAT COMPOUNDS,
AND OTHER MATERIALS," to be as follows :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means for drying peat,
peat compounds, and other materials. For this purpose I place the
peat or other materials to be dried on open trays or shelves, leaving
spaces all round for the passage of air as is now commonly practised.
These trays or shelves are carried by waggons or "lurries" provided

page_text: with cranked axles so as to facilitate the use of large or comparatively
large wheels and thereby render the traction more easy, and at the
same time permit of the waggons or lurries being made to fit or
nearly fit the sectional area of the drying shed through which they
have to pass. The walls of the drying shed are formed in two thicknesses.
with a space between them so as to prevent the radiation of heat
therefrom, and the roof of the shed except for a short distance at each
end is provided with a layer of sawdust or other suitable non-conducting
material for the same purpose, or if desired it may be formed double and
with an air space in a somewhat similar manner to that described for
the walls. The roof at each end of the drying shed is also formed so
as to prevent the radiation of heat therethrough, but is raised higher
that the other part in order to provide a suitably sized entrance and
exit for the air to. the drying shed.. I employ blinds, curtains, or other
deficctors or obstructions fixed in various positions and capable of
adjustment so as to facilitate the regulation of the direction and speed-
of the current of heated air through the shed. The waggons or "lurries"
are connected together in any suitable manner; and are supported on
rails, motion being. given thereto by means of a chain or rope passing
round drums or pulleys at each end of the shed, and connected at each
end to the waggons at the ends-of the-shed, so that by giving motion to
one of the drums or pullies the waggons or "lurries" are moved
forward as required, or if desired other suitable means may be employed
for this. purpose. The blinds, curtains, deflectors, or obstructions are
mounted on rollers or caused to run in or on guides or otherwise.so.as
to enable them to be placed in any desired position and facilitate their
withdrawal out of the way of the waggons or "lurries" while they are
being moved through the drying shed..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William George Ainslie, Her special licence
that I, the said William George Ainslic, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others, as I, the said William George Ainslic, 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, excrcise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR DRYING PEAT, PEAT COMPOUNDS, AND OTHER MATERIALS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William George Ainslie, 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 bo filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William George Ainslie, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means for drying
peat, peat compounds, and other materials. For this purpose I place
the peat or other materials to be dried on open trays or shelves leaving
spaces all round for the passage of air as is now commonly practised.
These trays or shelves are carried by waggons or "lurries" provided with
cranked axles so as to facilitate the use of large or comparatively large
wheels and thereby render the traction more easy, and at the same time
permit of the waggons or "lurries" being made to fit or nearly fit the
sectional area of the drying shed through which they have to pass. The
walls of the drying shed are formed in two thicknesses with a space
between them so as to prevent the radiation of heat therefrom, and the
roof of the shed except for a short distance at each end is provided with
a layer of sawdust or other suitable non-conducting material for the
same purpose, or if desired it may be formed double and with an air

page_text: wise so as to facilitate their being placed in any desired position, and
their withdrawal out of the way of the waggons or "lurries" while. they
are being moved through the drying shed. e, e, are horizontal blinds or
curtains mounted on rollers e¹, e¹, or other deflectors or obstructions
capable of adjustment may be employed at each end of the drying shed
to regulate the course of the heated air into and out thereof. Theso
blinds or curtains e, e, as shown in the Drawing, are provided with tapes
or connections e, e, at each side thereof, so that the curtain may be
placed at either extremity or at any intermediate position of the space
through which it travels, whilst the vertical blinds or curtains d, d, are
provided with tapes or suspenders d², d, for a similar purpose, and with
rods or bars d³, d³, at their lower ends to keep them properly distended.
One end of the drying shed is connected by suitable flues, as shown
by red lines, with a hot-air furnace, whilst the other is connected with a
fan, or other convenient apparatus for drawing the air therethrough.
The peat or other materials to be dried are placed on open trays or
shelves leaving spaces all round for the passage of air, as is now com-
monly practised. These trays or shelves are carried by waggons or
"lurries" provided with comparatively large wheels to run on suit-
able rails g, g, laid down in the drying shed, and the waggons or
"Jurries" are made to extend from side to side and close to the bottom
of the drying shed, so that when filled to a suitable height with the
trays or shelves of peat or other material to be dried they shall nearly fit
the sectional area of the drying shed through which they have to pass,
leaving only sufficient space all round for clearance. These waggons or
"lurries" are connected together in any suitable manner, and have
motion given to them by means of a rope or chain passing round drums
or pulleys at cach end of the drying shed, and connected to the waggons
in any suitable manner, so that by giving motion to one of the drums or
pulleys the waggons or "lurries" are moved forward as desired; or any
other suitable means may be employed for this purpose. The blinds,
curtains, deflectors, or obstructions may be constructed of any suitable
material, and the vertical blinds are so arranged as to pass when required
down between each of the waggons or "lurries" in the drying shed thereby
causing (according to their arrangement) the air to take a circuitous or
zig-zag course through the drying shed, whereby it may when desired
be first caused to pass either through the lower or through the upper
layers of peat on each waggon or "lurry." The hot air air is caused to
enter at that end of the shed from which the waggons with the fully

page_text: dried peat or other material are caused to leave it, as is well under-
stood. Suitable doors h, h, are provided at each end of the drying
shed so as to prevent the escape of heat therefrom, except when intro-
ducing and withdrawing a waggon.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the
mode in which I carry the carry the same into effect, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
shown and described, as such may be varied without departing of the
peculiar character of my Invention, but what I do claim is the combined
improvements in means for drying peat, peat compounds, and other
materials, subtantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I the said William George Ainslie, have here-
unto set my hand and seal this Third day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM G. AINSLIE. (L.S.)
Witness,
C. WHITE,
Clerk to Messrs. Harris & Mills,
Patent Agents,
35,-Southampton Buildings.