IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL FUEL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomson King, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-.
caster, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL FUEL" A
communication from abroad by Charles Edwards Lester, of the City and State
of New York, United States of America.
Lord Chancellor
Sealed the 60th December 1870, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord
and dated the 24th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomson King at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th Jane 1879.
JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL FUEL." [A communication from abroad by Charles Edwards
Lester, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.] ..
'
The object of this Invention is to provide a fuel of high heating power free from
sulphides and other objectionable matters. Such fuel, which has peat as a principal
part thereof, is applicable for heating purposes generally, but is of great value in
metallurgical operations.
Artificial fuel in which peat has been an ingredient has heretofore been only
partially successful, mainly because the peat was not combined when in the proper
condition, or not in the proper proportion with the other substances, or no agent
rendering sulphides and the like harmless was added.
Now my Invention consists in combining peat with other substances, as hereafter
mentioned
First. Peat, after the excess of moisture has been allowed to drain away, and
while it still retains or holds volatilo hydrogenous matters, is well mixed with
bituminous coal and common-salt, and afterwards pressed into suitable blocks. The
proportions found to answer are peat in the condition named, estimated by weight,
50 to 70 per cent.; coal, preferably small bituminous coal, 48 to 23 per cent.;
common salt, 2 to 5 per cent.
Second. To the materials under the first part of my Invention there may be
added one or more or the whole of the following substances:-Coal tar, pitch,
asphaltum, marl, lime stone, and borax. When all these substances are added, the
following are suitable proportions, the peat being in the condition described under

page_text: the above first head :-Peat, estimated by weight, 56 per cent. ; coal, 30 per cent.; coal
tar, or pitch, or asphaltum, 7 per cent.; marl, 2 per cent. ; lime stone, 2 per cent.;
common salt, 2 per cent.; crude.borax, 1 per cent.
Third. Instead of taking the peat in the condition mentioned under the above
first bead, it may be taken in condition dry enough (say, weather dried) to burn in
an ordinary open fire grate, and in this state I combine it with the substances now
to be named in about the proportions appended to each :- Peat, 60 per cent.; coal,
25 per cent.; coal tar, or pitch, or asphaltum, 10 per cent.; marl, oleaginous pre-
ferred, 2 per cent. ; lime stone, 2 per cent. ; common salt, 1 per cent.; crude borax,
'/, per cent.
Fourth. Under the above three heads of my Invention common salt or chloride
of sodium is used as one of the ingredients or agents in my fuel. To obtain full
advantage of the salt I pass steam through amongst the fuel during or after the
process of mixing or incorporation.
Fifth. A fuel well suited for use in iron puddling and reheating furnaces, and in
steel making, is made under the Invention by thoroughly mixing and pressing the
substances hereafter mentioned in about the proportions named:-Peat (fit to burn
in an open fire), 50 per cent.; coke, 30 per cent.; pure asphaltum (Trinidad), 5 per
cent.; resin, common North Carolina, 5 per cent. ; inarl, 2% per cent.; lime stone,
5 per cent.; borax, 2', per cent.
Thorough incorporation or mixing of the substances composing the fuel is of
importance. Edge runners and pug mills are suitable machines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Thomson King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th December 1879.
JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent.
“IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL FUEL” A communication from abroad by Charles Edwards
Lester, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a fuel of high heating power free from
sulphides and other objectionable matters. Such fuel, which has peat as a principal
constituent thereof, is applicable for heating purposes generally, and is of especial
value in smelting and metallurgical operations.
Artificial fuel in which peat has been an ingredient has heretofore been only
partially successful, mainly because the peat was not combined when in the proper
condition, or not in the proper proportion with the other substances, or no agent
rendering sulphides and the like harmless was added.
Now my Invention consists in combining peat with other substances in the
manner hereafter mentioned :—
.
First. Peat, after the excess of moisture has been allowed to drain away, and
while it still retains or holds water and volatile hydrogenous matters, is well mixed
with bituminous coal and common salt, and afterwards pressed into suitable blocks.
The proportions found to answer well are peat, in the condition named, 50 to 70
per cent.; coal, preferably small bituminous coal, 48 to 23 per cent.; common salt,
2 to 5 per cent.
Second. To the materials under the first part of my Invention there are added
one or more or the whole of the following substances:-Coal tar, pitch, asphaltum,
marl, limestone, and borax. When all these substances are added the following are
suitable proportions:-Peat, in the condition described under the above first head,
60 per cent.; coal, 30 per cent.; coal tar, pitch, or asphaltum, 7 per cent.; marl,
2 per cent.; limestone, 2 per cent.; common salt, 2 per cent.; crude borax, 1 par
cent.
Third. Instead of taking peat in the condition mentioned under the above first
head, it may be taken dry enough (say, weather dried) to burn in an ordinary open
fire grate, and in this state I combine it with the substances now to be named in
about the proportions named :-Peat, 60 per cent.; coal, 25 per cent. ; coal tar, pitch,
or asphaltum, 10 per cent.; marl, oleaginous preferred, 2 per cent.; limestone, 2 per
cent.; common salt, i per cent.; crude borax, per cent.
Fourth. Under the above three heads of my Invention common salt or chlorido
of sodium is used as one of the ingredients or agents in my fuel. To obtain full
advantage of the salt I pass steam through and amongst the fuel during or after
the process of mixing or incorporation. A cylinder or chamber of iron or other
suitable material is employed to contain the ingredients whilst steam is being
passed therethrough. Steam from a suitable generator enters the cylinder or
chamber through orifices at the bottom, and escapes through suitable openings at
the top.
Fifth. A fuel well suited for use in iron puddling and reheating furnaces, and in
steel making, is made under my Invention by thoroughly mixing and pressing the
substances hereafter mentioned in about the proportions named:-Peat (fit to burn
in an open fire), 50 per cent.; coke, 30 per cent.; pure asphaltum, Trinidad, 5 per
cent.; resin, common North Carolina, 5 per cent.; marl, 2%, per cant; lime stone,
per cent.; borax, 2¹, per cent.
Thorough incorporation or mixing of the substances composing the fuel is of
importance. Edge runners, pug mills, or other well known appliances for mixing
and incorporating substances together are used for that purpose.
After being
thoroughly mixed it is of advantage to press and consolidate the prepared fuol, and

page_text: form it into blocks, say, by means of an ordinary brick press or other suitable
apparatus.
The proportions of ingredients berein before mentioned are estimated by weight,
and are such as have been found to answer well in practice. I do not however
confine myself thereto, as such proportions may be varied to suit special circum-
stances, such as variations in the quality and condition of the peat, coal, bitumen,
and other constituenta.
Having now described and particularized my said Invention, I claim,-
Artificial fuel prepared, treated, and incorporated, substantially as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomson King, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
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EYA