IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING PEAT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Stone, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING PEAT FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR."
Sealed the 17th March 1874, and dated the 26th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Stone at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th September 1873.
I, ROBERT STONE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING
PEAT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the preparation of peat for the manu-
facture of fuel by an improved system of drying and preparing peat on
peat lands, and in machinery and apparatus employed therefor; also in
machinery and apparatus employed for crushing and triturating or mas-
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ticating the fibrous portions of the peat, and evaporating the moisture
contained in the peat pulp, thus drying the peat and preparing peat dust
or powder to be used as a fuel by being mixed with inflammable liquids
or substances, and pressed into blocks, as is well understood.
The great difficulty to be overcome in utilizing peat direct from the
peat lands or bog is the extraction or evaporation of the water or moisture
contained in the peat pulp and the fibrous portions of the peat. This
Invention has been worked out expressly to overcome these difficulties,
and to produce peat in a dry powder or dust, so that it will readily absorb
and mix with petroleum or other mineral oils, tar, pitch, and other like
inflammable liquids, rosin, and oils, and fat generally.
The first part of this Invention relates to the treatment of the peat on
peat lands, and consists in first laying a tram or rail through a portion
of the peat land to be treated. Upon this tramway or rail I run or
drive a triturating, picking, or tearing machine, which may consist of a
series of picks, spikes, or blades, having action similar to a haymaking
machine, namely, that the picks, spikes, or blades tear, or rip up, or
harrow the surface of the peat land, and throw it lightly behind, subject-
ing it to the action of the atmosphere.
In some instances this triturator or tearng machine may be preceded
by a plough or series of ploughs, and followed by a truck or carriage
carrying a large wire tray, so that when the peat is triturated or torn it
is thrown lightly on to this wire tray, and subjected to the action of the
atmosphere all round.
In lieu of the wire trays and trucks there may be placed parallel with
the rail or tramway a broad endless belt formed of wire netting, carried
and borne by suitable uprights and rollers. The triturated or treated
peat can be thrown by manual labour or mechanical means on to this
endless wire belt, and is subjected and exposed thereon to the action of
the atmosphere all round.
The treated material can be conveyed by the endless band or wire tray
trucks to a further masticating and drying machine, which crushes,
triturates, or tears it, and reduces it to a dry fine powder or dust. This
apparatus consists of a series of rollers, which roll and squeeze the
material in a continuous layer or cake, expressing any moisture, and
deliver it to a pair of horizontal rollers, having V shaped male and female

page_text: collars. The action of these rollers is to cut, tear, and grind the squeezed
material or layer of peat delivered from the first rollers. These second
or triturating rollers deliver the material on to a burring roller or
cutter, which is composed of a series of metal bars or cutters. This roller
cuts or beats the material under treatment into fine dust, and delivers
it in a shower or spray into a suitable drying shed; or the material may
be delivered into a drying stove, which is heated by a steam jacket or
hot air chamber, and is fitted with heated inclined shelves, pipes, or
trays, so arranged that the material will run down from tray to tray,
and reach the bottom of the stove in a dry state. The material can be
taken from the stove by means of an endless band or worm, and con-
ducted by an elevator or otherwise into the hoppers in connexion with
any suitable apparatus for amalgamating it with inflammable liquids or
substances, from whence it is conducted into a fuel making machine.
The crushed peat or peat dust when delivered from the burring or
cutting. roller may be drawn or driven through pipes or troughs by an
exhaust, or a blast of hot or cold air from a fan or blowing engine, or a
fan or blowing engine may exhaust or drive a blast of hot or cold air
through the drying stove before mentioned.
In some instances, where the peat is surface material and delivered
from the peat lands in a tolerably dry state, it will be found that the
stoving may be dispensed with, and the dry peat dust delivered direct
from the rollers to the amalgamating machine.
Secondly. This Invention relates to the special preparation of peat in
a dry powder or dust, to be used as an ingredient in the manufacture of
artificial fuel, such dry powder or dust never having been heretofore used.
The powder or dust is used as an absorbent for petroleum or other
mineral oil, and spirit, pitch, tar, rosin, oils, and waste fatty matters
generally. By the thorough absorption by the dry peat dust of the
inflammable liquids herein-before stated an amalgam is created that will
burn to the last without waste or residue.
Thirdly. This Invention is a medium for utilizing petroleum and other
like mineral oil and spirit as a fuel, as by its absorption and amalga-
mation with the dry peat dust and subsequent manufacture into blocks,
a new article of manufacture is obtained of great utility, with small
compass in bulk, and great heat giving qualities.

page_text: The chief object of this Invention being as much as possible to subject
the peat to the action of the atmosphere, so that the atmosphere acts on
all parts of the peat, and to avail myself of such means of transit and
triturating or tearing apparatus as will most fully carry out this object,
and reduce the peat to a dry powder or dust as quickly as possible
without the aid of artificial heat, or with as little artificial heat as
possible; and to use the dry peat dust or powder as an absorbent of
mineral oils, spirit, tar, pitch, oils, and fatty matters generally.
In carrying out this Invention it will be of advantage to have all
trucks, endless bands, and other apparatus used for the transit of the
peat made of wire netting or lattice work, and hooded over.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Stone in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
STONE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Stone, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Stone, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Stone, 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
PREPARING PEAT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOB," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Robert Stone my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under or their, or one of their hands and seals,
IN

page_text: 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Stone, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 has for its object the preparation of peat for the manu-
facture of fuel by an improved system of drying and preparing peat on
peat lands, and in machinery and apparatus employed therefor; also in
machinery and apparatus employed for crushing and triturating or mas-
ticating the fibrous portions of the peat, and evaporating the moisture
contained in the peat pulp, thus drying the peat and preparing peat dust
or powder to be used as a fuel by being mixed with inflammable liquids
or substances, and pressed into blocks, as is well understood.
The great difficulty to be overcome in utilizing peat direct from the
peat lands or bog is the extraction or evaporation of the water or moisture
contained in the peat pulp and the fibrous portions of the peat. This
Invention has been worked out expressly to overcome these difficulties,
and to produce peat in a dry powder or dust, so that it will readily absorb
and mix with petroleum or other mineral oils, tar, pitch, and other like
inflammable liquids and oils, and fat generally.
The first part of this Invention relates to the treatment of the peat on
peat lands, and consists in first laying a tram or rail through a portion
of the peat land to be treated. Upon this tramway or rail I run or drive
a triturating, picking, or tearing machine, which may consist of a series
of picks, spikes, or blades, having action similar to a haymaking machine,
namely, that the picks, spikes, or blades tear up, rip up, or harrow the
surface of the peat land, and throw it lightly behind, subjecting it to the
action of the atmosphere.
In some instances this triturator or tearing machinė may be preceded
by a plough or a series of ploughs, and followed by a truck or carriage
carrying a large wire tray, so that when the peat is triturated or torn it

page_text: is thrown lightly on to this wire tray, and subjected to the action of the
atmosphere all round.
In lieu of the wire trays and trucks there may be placed parallel with
the rail or tramway a broad endless belt formed of wire netting, carried
and borne by suitable uprights and rollers. The triturated or treated
peat can be thrown by manual labour or mechanical means on to this
endless wire belt, and is subjected and exposed thereon to the action of
the atmosphere all round.
The treated material can be conveyed by the endless band or wire tray
trucks to a further masticating and drying machine, which crushes
triturates, or tears it, and reduces it to a dry fine powder or dust. This
apparatus consists of a series of rollers, which roll and squeeze the
material in a continuous layer or cake, expressing any moisture, and
deliver it to a pair of horizontal rollers, having V shaped male and female
collars. The action of these rollers is to cut, tear, and grind the squeezed
material or layer of peat delivered from the first rollers. These second
or triturating rollers deliver the material on to a burning roller or cutter,
which is composed of a series of metal bars or cutters. This roller cuts
or beats the material under treatment into fine dust, and delivers it in a
shower or spray into a suitable drying shed; or the material may be
delivered into a drying stove, which is heated by a steam jacket or hot
air chamber, and is fitted with heated inclined shelves, pipes, or trays,
so arranged that the material will run down from tray to tray, and reach
the bottom of the stove in a dry state. The material can be taken from
the stove by means of an endless band or worm, and conducted by an
elevator or otherwise into the hoppers in connection with any suitable
apparatus for amalgamating it with inflammable liquids or substances,
from whence it is conducted into a fuel machine machine.
The crushed peat or dust when delivered from the burring or cutting
roller may be drawn or driven through pipes or troughs by an exhaust,
or a blast of hot or cold air from a fan or blowing engine, or a fan or
blowing engine may exhaust or drive a blast of hot or cold air through
the drying stove before mentioned.
In some instances where the noot in

page_text: stoving may be dispensed with, and the dry peat dust delivered direct
from the rollers to the amalgamating machine.
Secondly. This Invention relates to the special preparation of peat in
a dry powder or dust, to be used as an ingredient in the manufacture of
artificial fuel, such dry powder or dust never having been heretofore
used. The powder or dust is used as an absorbent for petroleum or other
mineral oil, and spirit, pitch, tar, rosin, oils, and waste fatty matters
generally. By the thorough absorption by the dry peat dust of the
inflammable liquids herein-before stated an amalgam is created that will
burn to the last without waste or residue.
Thirdly. This Invention is a medium for utilizing petroleum and other
like mineral oil and spirit as a fuel, as by its absorption and amalga-
mation with the dry peat dust and subsequent manufacture into blocks,
a new article of manufacture is obtained of great utility, with small
compass in bulk, and great heat giving qualities.
The chief object of this Invention being as much as possible to subject
the peat to the action of the atmosphere, so that the atmosphere acts on
all parts of the peat, and to avail myself of such means of transit and
triturating or tearing apparatus as will most fully carry out this object,
and reduce the peat to a dry powder or dust as quickly as possible with
the aid of as little artificial heat as possible, and to use the dry peat dust
or powder as an absorbent of mineral oils, spirit, tar, pitch, oils, and
fatty matters generally.
In carrying out this Invention it will be of advantage to have all
trucks, endless bands, and other apparatus used for the transit of the
peat made of wire netting or lattice work, and hooded over.
The before-going being the nature, object, and purposes of my Inven-
tion, I will now describe more particularly the machinery by which it
may be carried out into operation with the aid of the accompanying two
Sheets of Drawings, like letters and figures on which are used to denote
similar parts.
The first process of working on the peat lands may be carried on, as
before described, by a tramway or rail and a picking or tearing machine,
which may be similar to a haymaking machine; also the land may be
ploughed with advantage, and endless banding used formed of wire

page_text: netting, as herein-before described. This system prepares the peat for a
further masticating and drying machine, illustrated at Figures 1 and 2,
Sheet 1, and Figure 3, Sheet 2, of the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a sectional side elevation of a masticating and
drying machine constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2,
Sheet 1, is an end sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a modification of the masticating and drying
machine made to work horizontally.
Upon reference to Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, it will be seen that A is
a. framework, which carries four horizontal rollers B, B1, B2, B³; C
is a feeding hopper over framework; D, D¹, are a pair of horizontal
rollers, having V male and female collars, provided with cutting ribs;
E is a beater, composed of a series of metal bars F; G is a hood into
which the treated material can be thrown, and from thence taken to
drying stoves or moulding machine; H is a pipe from a blower or fan;
I, I', are drain gutters for carrying away water.
Upon reference to Figure 3, Sheet 2, it will be seen that the rollers are
arranged in a horizontal line instead of one over another. The rollers
D, D', are fed are fed from the hopper L. The material after passing
through the rollers D, D, is delivered on to the endless band M, and
discharged on to the rollers B; from thence it is carried to the beater E,
and thrown on to the elevator K, which carries it away for moulding or
stoving. When the peat is moulded, direct after treatment by the
machine it is mixed with tar, petroleum, or other inflammable liquid or
substance, which may be contained in the tank P, and allowed to run
down on the material under treatment.
The masticating or drying machinery may deliver the peat into a
drying stove or shed, such as shown at Figures 4 and 5, Sheet 2. The
material thrown into the shed, shown at Figure 4, Sheet 2, falls down
the inclined shelves R, R1, R2, R3, which shelves are by preference per-
forated. The material is then carried away by the worm S. A blower
or blast of dry air is applied at H, which blast of dry or hot air circulates
through the material during its progress.
The drying stove, shown at Figure 5, Sheet 2, consists of a circular
stove T, surrounded by a steam or hot air jacket U, with outlet pipes V,

page_text: the stove being surmounted by the feeding hopper X, and provided
´inside with a perforated rose Y, provided with a perforated rose Y, pro-
vided with a blast of hot or dry air from the pipe Z. The material may
be removed from the stove by a worm or other suitable means.
In some instances it may be necessary, in order to hasten the quick
drying of the peat after it is moulded and laid aside, to use a hot or cold
blast to more powerfully operate in evaporating the water out of the
peat.
In some cases the plain rollers may be dispensed with, and a ram may
be used instead, which is so made as to clutch, pocket, or enclose the
peat while under pressure. This ram will come down on the peat over
strong iron sliding, travelling, or endless trays or bands, which trays or
bands are perforated to allow the water to pass off.
In some instances it may be necessary to use a set of V rollers of a
fine close construction to mix, amalgamate, and grind the liquids and
materials into a fine pulpy state before passing into the moulding
machine.
The method of preparing peat for the manufacture of fuel, and in
machinery and apparatus employed therefor, described in the before-
going Specification, is applicable to the manufacture of all kinds of peat
fuel; also particularly applicable for preparing peat for the manufacture
of peat charcoal, which peat charcoal may be manufactured by the kiln
or stove shown and described at Figure 5, Sheet 2, of the accompanying
Drawings.
Having now described and ascertained the nature and purposes of this
Invention, and shown how the same may be carried into effect, what I
claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The improvements in preparing peat for the manufacture of
fuel, substantially in the manner and for the purposes as described and
set forth in the before-going Specification.
Secondly. The arrangement of rollers and beaters constituting a
masticating and drying machine, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1,
and Figure 3, Sheet 2, of the accompanying Drawings, substantially as
herein-before described, illustrated, and set forth.

page_text: Thirdly. The application of a blower giving a blast of hot or cold air
in combination with the masticating and drying machinery, as herein-
before described, illustrated, and set forth.
Fourthly. The arrangements of stoves for drying and stoving peat
shown at Figures 4 and 5, Sheet 2, of the accompanying Drawings, sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Stone, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
ROBERT (L.S.) STONE..