IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Judge Hays, of Hitchin, in the County of
Hertford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
"
Sealed the 1st July 1864, and dated the 5th January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Judge Hays
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th January 1864.
I, JOSEPH JUDGE HAYS, of Hitchin, in the County of Hertford, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PEAT CHARCOAL, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be
as follows:-
The apparatus which I employ in the first stage of the manufacture consists
of a grinding mill formed of discs of cast iron or other suitable material,
fixed vertically in a frame, and having the surfaces which are in contact, or
nearly in contact ribbed or grooved either radially or spirally; one of these
discs is mounted on a horizontal spindle or shaft, and is made to revolve by
means of a pulley on the shaft, or otherwise, the other disc is fixed to a sliding
frame, which may be adjusted horizontally by means of screws, in order to

page_text: regulate the space between the discs; the sliding frame is also fitted with a
spring of a certain power, which allows the disc to recoil when any foreign
substance harder than peat enters between the discs; in the centre of the
fixed disc is placed a worm, which passes through a hopper containing the
peat in a wet state, as when first dug from the bog; this worm is made to
revolve, and thus to force the peat into the centre and between the two discs,
the running disc carries a rim or border placed around its periphery, which
collects the peat as it comes from the mill, and fixed at the bottom or any
convenient place on the circumference of the disc is a scraper, which arrests
the peat in its revolutions with the disc, and conducts it on to an endless band
or other convenient receptacle that may be employed to carry it to the drying
house or kiln, as herein-after explained. These mills may either be employed
as fived engines, or mounted on wheels to be used as portable machines; the
3 may also be fixed horizontally, or at any angle if necessary, but I prefer
arrangement as explained above.
The second part of the Invention consists of a drying kiln for peat. The
ground peat in its moist state as it comes from the mill is conducted into a
hopper or hoppers made open at the bottom, and placed over an endless band
having the same width as the opening at the bottom of the hopper; this
endless band is covered with woven wire or other perforated material, and
travels over and around a drum fixed at each end of the chain, and worked by
steam or other motive power, one drum being placed under or nearly under
the hopper, and the other at the distant end of the kiln. The kiln consists of
long building of brick or other material suitable to withstand the temperature
at which it may be heated, through which the endless chain travels, the kiln
being heated throughout by means of hot air, or any other drying medium.
The hopper is made to fit close to the surface of the chain at the back and on
the two sides, but is furnished with a mouth-piece at the front, formed so as to
allow the chain to take with it a layer of peat of any required thickness; this layer
of peat is then cut into squares by means of two sets of revolving metal discs,
one set being fixed to the mouth-piece, and the other set being attached to an
endless chain acting at right angles to the direction which the peat is moving,
and thus cutting the peat into squares of any size that may be required,
regulated by the speed at which the chain works; the peat traverses the kiln,
and is delivered at the further end dry, or partially dry, as it may be required,
and which may be regulated either by the speed at which the peat travels on
the chain, or by the temperature of the kiln..
The third part of the Invention consists in improvements in retorts for

page_text: carbonizing peat, and in apparatus for condensing the gaseous products derived
from the same. The retort may be made of cast or wrought iron, or clay,
and is of a rectangular form of any required length, and is placed vertically
in an oven, or in benches of two or more, as the case may require. This
retort is constructed with a central pipe or flue, through which the heat from
the furnace is caused to pass on its way to the chimney, the peat in the retort
is thus surrounded by heat, and is heated throughout the interior portion at
the same time. The retort is furnished with a door at the top for supplying
it with peat, and with a similar door at the bottom for letting out the charcoal;
this bottom door is formed with a projecting flange of sufficient size to close
the opening in the external wall when the carbonizing process is in operation,
thus preventing any escape or loss of heat. A pipe is fixed near the bottom
of the retort, which conducts the gases and gaseous products derived from the
distillation of the peat into a receiver of any form or size, in which the heavier
oils and tar become deposited, from thence the gases pass along a pipe or
covered passage of considerable length, according to the number of retorts
employed, through which a current of cold water is made to flow in an
opposite direction to that by which the gas travels, emptying into the first
receiver, or an additional vessel wherein the oils and water together are kept
at a given level by means of a closet trap, which allows the excess to pass off
into other receivers, where the watery portions will separate on cooling, and
the tars and oils may be extracted for future treatment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Judge Hays in the Great Seal Patent Office on tho
5th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPII
JUDGE HAYS, of Hitchin, in the County of Hertford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord-
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Joseph Judge Hays, Her special licence that I, the said.
Joseph Judge Hays, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Joseph Judge Hays, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and.

page_text: 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 IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PEAT CHARCOAL, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Joseph Judge Hays, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Judge Hays, 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:-
The apparatus which I employ in the first stage of the manufacture consists
of a grinding mill formed of dises of cast iron or other suitable material fixed
vertically in a frame, and having the surfaces which are in contact, or nearly
in contact, ribbed or grooved either radially or spirally, in conjunction with
other mechanism, hereafter described.
The second part of the Invention consists of a drying kiln for peat.
The third part of the Invention consists of retorts for carbonizing peat, and
in the condensation and collection of the tar and other products derived from
the distillation of peat.
In order that my said Invention may be completely understood, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, and to the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a plau, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a cross section
of a mill for grinding or pulping peat while in a wet state as found in
the bog.
a, u, is the frame upon which the apparatus is fixed; b is a disc, having a
circular opening through the centre; the face of this disc is formed into
grooves which radiate spirally towards the circumference for the purpose of 3
rubbing or grinding the peat; c is a hopper, having a flange d, to which is
bolted the disc b; e is another disc or runner fixed on the shaft f, carrying a
driving pulley g; this disc is similarly grooved to the fixed disc b, but is made

page_text: concave in the centre in order to hold a certain quantity of peat, which, by
the centrifugal force imparted to it by the rapid rotation of the disc, is caused
to pass between the rubbing surfaces of the discs, and to escape around the
circumference; h is a rim or border in the form of a hoop, which collects
the ground peat and transfers it to the scraper j, from whence it passes into
the elevators, as shewn, or is conducted away by any other means. In the
hopper c is a shaft carrying a worm k, or endless thread, the object of which
is to force the peat contained in the hopper through the circular opening in
the disc b, and between the two discs; this worm is only necessary when the
discs are placed in a vertical position, as shewn in the Drawing, for if placed
horizontally, having the hopper directly over the centre, the peat is sufficient
to make it enter the mill. In order that one or the other of these discs be
arranged so as to allow of a certain amount of adjustment, I employ a screw,
Fig. 1, placed at the end of the driving shaft; this screw works through a
nut, at the back of which is placed a strong spiral spring; it will be thus seen
that by turning the screw, the distance between the discs is regulated, and in
case any hard substance gets into the mill, the spring at the back of the nut
allows the discs to separate until the obstruction is removed, when the discs
return to their regulated distance.
The whole apparatus may be mounted on wheels, and the frame a so. con-
structed as to carry a portable engine and boiler, thus forming it into a
portable machine.
Sheet 1, Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 a cross section of a
drying kiln for peat. The ground peat in its moist state as it comes from the
mill is transported into the hopper a, which is placed over an endless chain b, b,
travelling upon drums c, c, constructed to suit the links of the chain; this
chain is covered with plates of perforated iron or other suitable material, or
wire cloth, and passes through a closed chamber d of any required length;
the chamber d is heated by means of hot air, or any drying medium, the heat
entering the chamber or kiln at the end d', and escaping through the fan or
ventilator e, taking the direction of the arrows; f, f, are rollers fixed at
intervals, for sustaining the weight of the chain and its contents. The peat
contained in the hopper a passes through a mouth-piece g, formed of the whole
width of the chain, and at a distance above it as may be required, the distance
regulating the thickness of the layer of peat that is carried onward by the
chain; h is a cutting disc, of which there are several placed side by side, and
at a distance apart equal to the size of the brick that it may be desired to cut
These discs revolve freely, and rest on the chain by their own weight, being

page_text: hinged to the front of the hopper at j; k, k, are other similar cutters fixed on
an endless chain, and working at right angles to the other cutting discs, and
to the chain which carries the pcat, consequently cutting the layer of peat into
squares of any size that may be required, which may be regulated by the
respective speeds given to the two chains.
The next part of my Invention relates to retorts for carbonizing peat, and
for apparatus for condensing the gaseous products derived from the same.
Sheet 2, Fig. 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 an
elevation of a bench of four retorts. a, a, a, a, are the retorts, formed of cast
iron, fire-clay, or other suitable material. These retorts are of a rectangular
form, having a tube & passing through them for conveying away the gases from
the furnace to the chimney, and thus heating the interior of the retort, after
having heated them externally in passing through the flues c, c, c, c; d, d, are
the doors or openings at the top of the retorts for introducing the peat; and
e, e, are the doors at the bottom for discharging the charcoal; f is the furnace,
the heat from which first enters the vaulted chamber g, and from thence
passes through the openings h, h, h, h, into the flues c, c, c. c. The pipes j, j,j, j,
conduct the gaseous products derived from the distillation of the peat into a
hydraulic main pipe or receiver k, by dipping below the water in the ordinary
way; from this main pipe the gases pass into a covered passage or channel
formed underground, in order to keep up an equal temperature, in which the
oily matters and vapours are condensed, and overflow by means of the traps
m, m, into tanks or receivers n, n. These channels or passages may be of
any length as the number of retorts in operation may require, and the peat
gas passes, as indicated by the arrows, and is collected at the distant end of the
passages for illuminating or heating purposes; the water and oily products
flow back into the tanks, as shewn by the direction of the arrows.
I claim, first, the mill for grinding peat in a wet state, formed of two
grooved discs, and the general arrangement of machinery, substantially as
herein specified and shewn.
Secondly, the kiln and apparatus for drying and moulding peat, constructed
substantially, as shewn in the Drawings, and herein described, being a
mechanical arrangement for the purpose of saving cost in labor, and for
economy in the consumption of the fuel required in heating the same; also
the form of mouth-piece attached to a hopper placed over a travelling endless
chain or band for moulding peat, with the circular disc cutters for dividing
the same into bricks, substantially as herein specified and shewn.
Thirdly, the retorts for carbonizing peat, of the form substantially as shewn

page_text: in the Drawings, and herein specified, having doors at top and bottom; also
the peculiar arrangement of flues and tubes for conducting the heat around
and through the retorts.
Fourthly, the condensation and collection of the tar and other products
derived from the distillation of peat by means of underground channels or
passages, whereby an equal temperature is maintained, and the process con-
ducted with great economy, substantially as herein specified and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Judge Hays, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Office for Patents,
JOSEPH JUDGE HAYS. (L.S.)
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.