Improvements in the Method of and Means or Apparatus Employed for Drying Slip" or "Slurry" from which Portland Cement is Produced.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 21st Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th Apr., 1888
66
Improvements in the Method of and Means or Apparatus Employed
for Drying Slip" or "Slurry" from which Portland Cement is
Produced.
THOMAS HESKETH LODGE of 35 Percy Street, Tynemouth, in the county of
Northumberland, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to the improved moulding, drying and "handling" or
moving about of the slip or slurry from which Portland Cement is produced.
In carrying out my Invention I utilise the hot waste gases from the kiln or from
any other suitable source, to dry the wet Slip or slurry placed in iron or steel drying
trays, but preferably of steel laid on shelves in tiers within a drying chamber having
a roof mounted on wheels so that the heat is applied to all the exterior parts of the
slip or slurry within the moulds to drive off the water.
The chamber has a movable roof and door, having its sides and bottom built of
firebrick. On the top of the sides of the chamber are fixed rails on which the slurry
car wheels can run. The roof of the chamber is formed of plates of steel or iron,
preferably of steel supported upon wheels, having narrow connecting plates between
the roof and the sides, which connecting plates are preferably supported by the roof
and the walls of the chamber; this combination of plates being covered by wet slip
or slurry will render the roof draught tight, or practically so. By practically so I
mean that when the slurry dries, small cracks will be formed which will be of no
consequence.
The ends of the chamber are closed by doors capable of being removed so that the
slurry cars can be wheeled out and wheeled in again. The doors are made draught
tight by means of wet slurry, the door dipping into a trough of slurry at its lower
end and also dipping into slurry at the upper end, the sides being made draught tight
by thick slurry applied with a trowel.
The doors may be formed of burnt fireclay slabs in iron frames, which thus form a
heavy door, I propose to adapt wheels attached to it running on the slurry car rails
;

page_text: I prefer to form the doors of corrugated sheet-iron, so subdivided into parts that the
men can easily remove or replace them. The said doors are protected from the action
of the hot gases by asbestos board fixed on corrugated iron; between the asbestos
board and the corrugated-iron, is loosely packed slag-wool. To protect the doors
still further from the heat, I build a temporary wall of bricks, next to each door and
within the chamber, which wall of bricks 1 remove when desiring to wheel out the
slurry cars.
The improved mould consists of a shallow tray of steel or iron, preferably steel
having four sides in which can be dried slip or slurry to the depth of a few inches
(say two to six inches deep) of such a weight that the men will have no great
difficulty in moving it about when filled with dry slip or slurry.
The shelves for holding the moulds on the cars are rivetted to bars, or rods hanging
down vertically within the chamber, which vertical rods or bars are riveted to bow
shaped structures each consisting of a stretcher bar and tension bar; said bow
shaped structures being rivetted in turn to the axle beam, which "axle beam" spans
the chamber from side to side.
Two wheels having their axles rivetted or bolted to the "axle-beam" support the
latter by having one of said wheels at each end, which wheels run on the rails fixed
on the walls of the drying chamber.
By each slurry car being supported on wheels running on rails placed outside of
the drying chamber in a comparatively cool atmosphere, the wheels can be kept
efficiently lubricated. The heat by carbonising the oil having heretoforo seriously
interfered with efficient lubrication.
The hot gases used for drying the slurry pass through a flue or flues placed under
the floor of the drying chamber, which flue or flues have vertical branches or nearly
50, leading into the chamber; said vertical branch flues can be closed by dampers or
other suitable valves in such a manner that the hot gases can be directed to different
and all parts of the chamber. Wherever there is a vertical branch flue I leave a space
within the chamber which I call the "antechamber" extending from the floor to tho
roof of any convenient width covered by the roof of the plates and slurry which roof
plates may be mounted upon wheels but I prefer the plates to be small enough to
The casily moved about and supported by rolled iron, such as channel iron, tee iron,
angle iron, or of any section having a flange on which the plates can rest.
I protect the moulds and that portion of the slurry car within the
by means of burnt fireclay plates, hereinafter termed "protecting plates
so that
the underside of the moulds near the "antechamber," also their vertical sides within
the chamber may not be seriously injured by the heat; in cases where the heat is
too great, the draught must be diverted to another part of the chamber as so desired
or sent up the chimney by means of the dampers through the flues.
antechamber
"
The space between a mould and the one above it forms a passage for the hot gases,
the amount of draught through any such passage can be regulated by forming some
of the protecting plates so as to cover a portion of such passage in the
antechamber; said "protecting plates" are also used to keep the draught off tho
walls.
"
The waste gases, together with the steam from the slurry are conducted to a high
chimney by means of Hues.
After the dried slip or slurry has been removed from the moulds, I make use of
what I call a "traversing carriage" (or carriages) for the purpose of removing the
empty slurry cars out of the way, and also for replacing the slurry cars in the drying
chamber after they have been refilled with wet slip or slurry. The traversing carriage
or carriages has or have four or more wheels the axles of which wheels are set at
right angles to the axle heams of the slurry cars which wheels run upon a pair of
rails from end to end of the range of kilns. The "traversing carriage" in its lower
part consists of a rectangular framework (preferably of channel-iron) to which the
wheels are attached. At each end of the said framework, and by preference imme-
diately over the wheels of said carriage are secured a pair of pillars (preferably of
channel-iron) supporting a pair of rails, or rolled iron answering the purpose of

page_text: rails, which rails are at the level of, and can be put in conjunction with the slurry-
car rails on the walls of the drying chamber. By conjunction I mean that although
the end of the slurry car rails on the walls of the chamber do not actually touch the
end of the rails on the traversing carriage" by perhaps a quarter of an inch, such
a position is practically as useful as if they did touch.
I also prefer to carry the slurry car rails beyond and protruding from the walls of
the chamber to the extent of a few inches, which protruding parts I support by
diagonal struts fixed in the walls of the chamber.
To facilitate the moving about of the slurry cars a traversing car of similar con-
struction to the beforementioned one, is used at the opposite end of the chamber for
the purpose of moving from place to place empty and full slurry cars.
The full slurry cars can be allowed to cool on walls on a construction of pillars and
beams of the full length of the drying chamber also such walls or structure may be
used to support the slurry cars when their moulds (or trays) are being filled with wet
slip or slurry.
The filling of the trays with wet slip or slurry may be accomplished in any suitable
manner such as by a hose pipe and nozzle fitted with a valve, or a trough with a lip
capable of being tilted so as to empty its contents of wet slip or slurry into the
moulds, which trough can be filled from the slurry pipe or dipped in a reservoir of
slurry, but preferably by a vertical slurry pipe or by vertical slurry pipes having openings
or branches at the level of each set of trays, the flow of the wet slip or slurry being
governed by valves and guided to each mould by movable troughs, preferably from
a pair of slurry pipes having branch pipes fitted with valves for every level of slurry
trays, all the handles of such valves (on each slurry pipe) being connected by rods
and levers. The wet slurry issuing from each valve is conducted to the slurry trays
by means of a Y shaped spout, which spout has a hinged sluice valve or door to
divert the current of slurry from one branch of the spout to the other. The spouts
are movable by having their chains or-rods connected to a crane fastened to the slurry
pipe.
".
Dated this Nineteenth day of Anril 1887
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, THOMAS HESKETH LODGE of 35 Percy Street Tynemouth in the County of
Northumberland, Analytical Chemist 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 an improved method of moulding, and drying "slip" or
slurry" from which Portland Cement is produced, as also to the appliances employed
in the moving about of said "slip" or "slurry" in the course of manufacture.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 a
sectional elevation of the drying chamber arranged in accordance with my
invention.
In carrying out my invention I provide a chamber, the walls and flooring of which
are built of firebrick, and having a removable roof and doors as hereinafter
described.
Beneath the floor of the drying chamber is or are arranged a horizontal flue or
flues B having branch vertical flues C, C, Cu, C, opening into the drying chamber
to allow of the waste gases from the kilns or other source passing into, out of, and
circulating within said chamber whence it passes into a main flue D with which the
drying chamber and flues B are connected, and thence escapes by way of a chimney
in connection with said main fluo D.
a¹
The openings C and nearest the supply and discharge flues B and B are
provided with dampers a a¹ formed preferably of fire clay tiles and arranged to slide
to and fro. The vertical flues C, C however are preferably furnished with hanging
or swing doors or dampers bb having arms or levers keyed on to their pivoting
bars, which arms or levers being fixed vertically in a recess beneath the chamber walls
can be controlled by a chain or equivalent passing therethrough. The dampers a,
are closed or opened by means of metal rods, bars or tubes passed through holes in
the doors and through recesses formed in the floor of the drying chamber; said rods,
bars or tubes having one end bent up, so as to assume a hook like form, on the
insertion of which bent part into a holo or recess formed on the under sides of the
dampers a, the latter may be easily moved in the desired manner.

page_text: The method of regulating the heat of the waste gases entering the chamber is as follows:
The racks (or slurry cars) with their loads of wet "slip or "slurry" having been
placed in position and the chamber made draught tight, the hanging or swing doors
b, b, are closed by being allowed to hang, and the dampers a and a¹ opened, the
gases now enter at B by the vertical flue CC pass into the drying chamber and thence
through the narrow passages c c formed by the tiers of slurry trays, whence they pass
into the chimney above mentioned by way of the main flue Ď aforesaid. Should
however the heat be too great in any part of the drying chamber say for instance that
part nearest to the damper C the door
the damper a of the flue C is closed, thus
channel, and in the event of the heat in this
the swing door is opened and the door
into another part of the drying chamber.
of the vertical flue is left open and
diverting all the hot gases into a different
portion of the chamber being. too great,
closed, thus again diverting the gases
In order to ascertain when the heat in any part of the chamber has risen to such a
height as to be injurious to the metal trays, a heat alarm indicator is provided,
comprising a weight attached to a piece of wire or strip of some suitable fusible
metal or substance, which will readily fuse when the heat in the drying chamber has
reached a predetermined height. Said weight and fusible substance is enclosed in a
tube passing through a hole in the roofing plates in the chamber and made draught
tight. Connected to the fusible substance is a light chain which, hanging centrally
in said tube passes over a small pulley and is attached to a weighted lever pivoted
to and in connection with an alarm indicator placed in any convenient position.--Said
indicator is provided with an arm having at its extremity a sector devised to obscure
from or expose to view certain prearranged signals or any other means of displaying
signals may be employed. This action is effected by the release of the pivoted lever
aforesaid on the fusion of the fusible substance which at the same time disengages
a catch of the alarm, setting in motion the mechanical arrangement and sounding the
gong. The arm and sector above described may if desired be treated with luminous
paint, so as to render it visible in the dark.
Upon the top of the walls of the drying chamber are arranged rails upon which
the slurry cars run, said slurry cars which are preferably of light construction, are
suspended from a beam e provided at each end with flanged wheels which being
external to the chamber, are unaffected by the heat arising therefrom, and have the
additional advantage of being accessible for lubricating purposes. From the beam e
aforesaid is suspended a light iron frame formed preferably of angle iron or steel,
and provided with racks upon which rest the slurry trays d in tiers which latter are
shallow dishes also preferably of steel. The slurry cars E which can be run from end
to end of the drying chamber may be removed therefrom and transferred to the top
suspension rails g of a traversing car G of light construction which latter travels
over a line of rails H laid at right angles to the drying chamber and parallel with
the series of kilns, by which arrangement the slurry cars may be moved from one
point to another as may be desired, as for instance convoying the wet slurry to the
drying chamber, or removing the dried slurry thence to any position where it is
required for building up the stack.
In arranging the drying chamber, the slurry cars are run in, plates having been
previously placed on the top racks, a space being left vacant over the vertical flues,
termed the "antechambers;" plates are now placed upon the walls over the antechambers,
and narrow notched plates are then placed between the walls of the drying chamber
and the top rack plates above mentioned; the whole is now made draught tight by
flooding with slurry in a fluid state to a suitable depth. The ends of the chamber are
now closed by the doors I formed preferably of corrugated sheet iron or steel made
up in sections and bent over at the top i into a hook like form. Said corrugated iron
is faced on the interior with slag wool or similar suitable non-conductor of heat
covered with asbestos board. Upon each edge of said corrugated iron are secured
by rivets or equivalents angle or channel iron bent over at the upper end into hook
like form-Upon the walls at each side of the chamber, and abutting against the
angle iron upon the doors aforesaid are fixed corresponding channel or angle irons.

page_text: A picco of channel iron is fixed to the tops of the walls, spanning the same, and a
corresponding channelled recess formed in the floor.
When placing the door in position the bent iron at the top i and channelled recess
in the floor are filled with semi-fluid slurry, into which the hooked top and the
hottom of the doors dip, the intervening spaces between the angle bars on the walls
and edges of the doors being packed with plastic slurry or similar suitable material
placed in a loose pieco of channel iron of the form of the door thereby rendering the
whole arrangement draught tight. The drying chamber now being enclosed and
draught tight the gases are introduced and controlled in the manner above described.
The doors may however be formed of an iron framework supporting a structure of
Siro clay, or of fire bricks, in which case, said doors would work upon wheels or
rollers, but I prefer to adopt the arrangement last above described, as from its light-
ness it is more easily moved. As a precaution against injury to the doors from
excessive heat I may erect a temporary wall of fire brick at each end between
the chamber and the door, which is easily removed after the drying process is
completed.
The method which I prefer to adopt for filling the slurry trays, comprises a vertical
pipe or pipes having openings formed therein arranged at a higher level than the
level of the trays to be filled. Attached to or forming part of said pipe is a face
plate provided with openings corresponding with the openings in the pipe aforesaid,
upon which face plate moves a valve of the type known as a gridiron valve having
openings corresponding with those in the pipe and face plate aforesaid.
Said vaive is actuated by a lever fitted on the outside of the valve case, and con-
nected by a link and valve spindle to the above mentioned gridiron valve, said spindle
working in a suitable stuffing box and gland. To the front of the valve above
described, and beneath each orifice or opening are fitted a pair of spouts, capable of
being moved by means of a lever or equivalent so as to lie against, and parallel with
the valve, or to assume the position of a>, by which means two trays may be filled
with fluid slurry simultaneously from each slurry pipe.
In the process of drying the slurry it will be found that the solidification thereof
is irregular, the upper surface drying much more rapidly than the under surface or
interior, leaving on the upper surface cracks or interstices, which latter may however
be filled in by pouring wet slurry upon the mass, or said cracks may be closed by
the exertion of some pressure upon the mass, which forces the more plastic slurry
therein, which latter method I prefer to adopt as being more simple and equally
efficient.
Cores, prints, curved or other forms may if desired be arranged in trays which
would be found of considerable utility in stacking the cement in loading an ordinary
kiln, and for other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
First The improvements in the methods and means or apparatus employed for
drying "slip" or "slurry" from which Portland Cement is produced substantially
as herein described and set forth.
Second-The improved "slurry" car herein described suspended from a beam,
provided with wheels for running upon elevated rails and having racks fitted therein
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and shown.
Third The improved traversing carriage substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
Fourth-The mode of and means employed for controlling and directing the
course of the hot waste gases into and out of the drying chamber substantially as
herein set forth.
Fifth-The improved mode of constructing the doors of the drying chamber and
the method which I adopt for protecting the same from injury by heat substantially
as herein described and set forth.

page_text: "
Sixth-The mode of and means employed for luting and making draught tight
the doors referred to in the last preceding claim substantially as herein set forth.
Seventh-In the construction of the draught tight roof of the drying chamber,
the employment of plates resting upon the "slurry' cars and upon the chamber
walls the whole being flooded with wet slurry substantially as herein set forth.
Eighth In combination with the drying chamber herein described the employ-
ment of an alarm indicator actuated by the melting of a fusible substance substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth.