A New or Improved Combustible Material, and Process of Manufacturing the same.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1894-Accepted, 4th Aug.,
1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Combustible Material, and Process of
Manufacturing the same.
A communication by EDWARD SCOTT, of Chattanooga, in the County of Hamilton,
and State of Tennessee, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to produce, at slight cost, a fuel which ignites
readily throughout its body, supports a vigorous and tenacious flame, and insures
the most thorough combustion: which is adapted for use in kindling less com-
bustible material, and affords in itself a bright and agreeable fire, which may
also serve to disseminate aromatic or medicinal constituents; which can be con-
veniently and economically bundled, transported, handled and used; and which is
free from liability to produce explosions or hazardous flashes.
The invention consists in the method of treatment of ligneous material and in
the article of manufacture hereinafter described and claimed.
The process of manufacture is as follows: Sections of logs, stumps or other
ligneous material, preferably of a resinous variety are taken, and they are cut or
split into blanks of any convenient size. For general purposes the logs or
stumps are cut into cross sections of from eight to twelve inches in length and
these sections are split into blanks about one inch in thickness and of such width
as the section may afford. These blanks are then subjected to the action of
steam or boiling water until they are sufficiently softened to facilitate crushing,
without mashing or completely separating, the fibres. While hot, soft and moist
from the steaming process, the blanks are subjected to a crushing force, sufficiently
powerful to spread and disperse without wholly disintegrating or separating the
fibres. The product is a flexible fibrous web through which flame can instantly
penetrate and air freely circulate to support and stimulate combustion. This web
is capable of being readily rolled into compact bundles for transportation and sale.
The fibres, while still clinging together in a mat-like web, are so spread and diffused
as to greatly increase the bulk of the material, and so disposed relatively to each
other as to insure instant and uniform ignition throughout the mass, and a vigorous
combustion, thus greatly increasing the efficiency of the fuel as compared with the
material when used in its original compact state with its mass comparatively
impervious to flame and air. The entire bulk, or so much of it as may be desired,
may be ignited by the application of a lighted match or taper and burns with a
brilliant and intense flame. When pitch pine is used for this purpose, the crushing
action exposes the resinous properties of the wocd to the flame and this serves both
to feed the flame and to disseminate the fragrance of the wood. The beneficial
and agreeable properties of this, or other aromatic or medicinal woods, are thus
utilized and made readily accessible to every community. If the wood does not
contain, in itself, sufficient combustible, aromatic or other desired qualities, the
web, after its fibres have been distended by crushing, may be saturated to any
desired degree with any combustible, aromatic or medicinal agent consistent with
or conductive to combustion. Some woods may respond sufficiently to the crushing
without the previous steaming, in which case that step may be omitted, though it is

page_text: found that better results are obtained by its use. The condition of the wood when
it comes from the crushers is such that any liquid agent in which it may be
immersed, or which may be applied thereto, readily permeates it, and, in like
mauner, the flame readily attacks the individual fibres throughout the entire mass
of crushed material and combustion takes place with much less waste of heat units
than would be involved in burning the solid blank.
The log sections may be split into blanks by an ordinary shingle knife and the
steaming may be effected by any means which will insure sufficient exposure of the
blank to the softening and moistening effects of the steam. The crushing agencies
may be greatly varied but should be powerful in order to produce the best results.
It is preferred to use rolls, either smooth or corrugated. The preferred apparatus
for steaming and crushing is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:-
Figure is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred form of steaming
apparatus.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same.
Figure 3 is a side view of a preferred form of crushing mechanism.
Figure 4 is a cross section ou line 4-4 of Fig. 3.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the blank before treatment.
Figures 6 and 7 are views of different sized blanks after they have been steamed
and crushed and are ready to be rolled.
Figure 8 is a view of a bundle, consisting of a blank after it has been steamed,
crushed and rolled, and is ready for shipment.
A (Figs. 1 and 2) designates the steaming box, provided with a false floor
composed of slats B, arranged longitudinally therein and at a distance apart to
allow steam or other vapor to pass through them. Over the slats travel carriers C,
mounted on endless chains, e, travelling over sprocket wheels, d, d', mounted on shafts
at each end of the box and driven by any suitable means.
The floor is preferably
inclined so that the blanks may be fed at its lower end and elevated to a level from
which they may be conveniently delivered to the machine.
The strips of wood to be treated are placed on the floor of the steaming box, and
are moved along by the carriers through the length of the box, becoming saturated
in their passage.
J
The crushing mechanism (Figs. 3 & 4) consists of a frame, D, having mounted
therein, in suitable journals, a driving shaft, E, driven by pulleys, or equivalent
device, connected with a source of power. Gear wheels e, e, are mounted upon the
shaft and adapted to engage with gear wheels e', e', mounted on shafts,
journalled in the frame and carrying the upper crushing rolls F, F. The shafts,,
have also mounted thereon gear wheels, ², engaging with gear wheels,
mounted on shafts,,, also journalled in the frame Ď and carrying the lower
crushing rolls G, G.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what mauner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process of manufacturing a combustible material consisting in softening
sections of wood by treatment with moisture in a heated state, then crushing them
sufficiently to spread the fibre into a penetrable web, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
2. The process of manufacturing a combustible material consisting in steaming
sections of wood, then crushing them sufficiently to spread the fibre into a penetrable
web, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The process of manufacturing a combustible material consisting in crushing
and partially disintegrating sections of wood, then saturating the product with an
aromatic, medicinal or combustible agent for the purpose described.
4. The process of manufacturing a combustible material consisting in steaming
sections of wood, then crushing the steamed sections sufficiently to spread the fibres

page_text: into a penetrable web, and saturating the web with an aromatic, medicinal or
combustible agent for the purpose described.
5. The herein described article of manufacture consisting of a flexible web of a
partially disintegrated wood, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 30th day of June 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.