US451464A - Archibald a - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. A. DIGKSON. MACHINE FOR REDUCING CRUDE PEAT T0 FUEL. N0.'451,464.

Patented May 5,1891.

THE Moms IEYLRS 00., mow-mam, msamcmu. n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. A. DIOKSON.

MACHINE FOR REDUCING CRUDE PEAT T0 FUEL. No. 451,464. Patented May 5,1891.

To ez/ UNITE. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD A. DICKSON, OF ODTE ST. ANTOINE, CANADA.

MACHINE FOR REDUCING CRUDE PEAT TO FUEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,464, dated 'May 5, 1891.

Application filed July'l, 1890. $erial No. 357,406- (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD A. DICK- SON, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Cote St. Antoine, in the District of Montreal, and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Reducing Crude Peat to Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved apparatus for the manufacture of peat fuel. It is designed to carry out the improved process for the treatment of the natural product of peat,with a special object of facilitating the removal of the moisture and the consequent reduction of the natural product to a condition in which it may be used as fuel.

The distinguishing feature of the process or principle of operation lies in the treatment of the mass of wet peat as it comes from the bog in such manner so as to eliminate the moisture at every step of the process without reducing the mass to a pasty condition, without necessitating the application. of artificial heat, and without breaking up the fibers which the peat contains and which are necessary or advantageous atleast, for the better coherence of the matter when it is in the form fit to be used as fuel. I have hereinafter described the method of treatment in connection with the apparatus which I have devised for earrying on the method.

This apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel represents the apparatus partlyin side elevation and part-1y in vertic.l section, the drying cylinder being shown in transverse section on line a; w of Fig. 3,for convenience, some of the pipe-connections in front of the section-line being represented by dotted lines. Fig. 2 represents the horizontal section on line was, Fig. 1, of the compressing-conveyor and the pressure-rolls connected therewith. Fig. 3 represents longitudinal vertical section of the drying-cylinder, and also shows the relation of the rubber-clad rolls thereto. Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the compressing apparatus. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the tub and top plate of the compressor.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a chute, by means of which crude peat is introduced into a conveyor and compressing apparatus, which is'marked B. This part of the appa ratus serves at the same time as a compressor to force out the moisture from the crude pea-t and to convey the peat to the first set of cyl-' inders. It consists of ataperin g case, (marked 1,) made rectangularin cross-seetion,as shown in Fig. 2. Within it is located a tapering screw-conveyer, (marked2.) This has its bearings in the ends of the case, and its shaft is provided with a pinion 8, by means of which it maybe driven. The case is provided with openings at the corners, as shown at 4: preferably throughout the entire length of the case, for the escape of the water pressed out as the crude peat passes down under the pressure of the screw-conveyer. The sides of the case are extended and bent around over these series of holes, so as to cover them; but an opening is left, as shown in Fig. 2, for the escape of the water from the channels formed by these extensions. The construction is shown at 5 in Fig. 2. The covering-flanges 5 are all turned in one'direction, and that is opposite to the motion of the screw-conveyor, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The crude peat being introduced into the upper and larger end of the case it is forced down by its own weight and by the motion of the screw, and as it is carried constantly over the narrower part of the case it is more and more compressed, and consequently is compelled to part with the water which it contains in its crude condition, or with a considerable part of it. At the same time it will be observed that the mass of peat is not stirred or beaten since the screw forms one continual blade which passes through the peat without agitating it and without reducing it to a pasty condition, in which condition it is very diiiicult to eliminate the water, since the water becomes the more thoroughly mixed and the solid parts more thoroughly dissolved as the crude material is the more thoroughly agitated, and it is for this reason that the material is moved and compressed by the devices which caused no agitation.

From the bottom of the compressor-case a pipe or spout 0 leads to the first set of cylinders which squeeze the material to further eliminate the moisture. The end of the pipe 0 is of. flattened bell shape,so that the exit is a narrow vertically-arranged slot. This is located between the two cylinders F F. These introduced to the cylinder K.

cylinders are covered with an absorbent material, such as most fibrous articles or felt, and this covering being of sufficient thickness, as indicated at U in Fig. 2, it absorbs the moisture expressed from the peat passing between the cylinders, which is drained off through the holes 7 into the interior of the cylinders, from which it escapes through pipes 9, leading from circular pans 8 at the bottom. The peat, after passing through this pair of cylinders, falls between the second pair, (marked G G.) These, as shown, are arranged in a horizontal position. They have a facing of rubber marked 0. l have shown an inclined chute 10 for guiding the peat as itfalls from the cylinders F to the proper point between the cylinders G. The cylinders maybe adjusted by means of a set-screw l], and are held in vertical adjustable position by a screwshaft .12, one at each end. .llelow the cylinders G is ahopper ll. (Shown also in Fig. 3.) This leads into the open upper ends of the drying-cylinder K. liefore entering this d rying-cylinder the greater part of the water has been removed by the previous compression, and in this form it is In falling from the rolls the mass is more or less broken or agitated, and it may be further loosed by devices provided for this purpose, if desired. This cylinder is open at both ends. It is provided with a heating-jacket entirely surrounding it and is set in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. i. It is provided with means for turning it, these consisting, preferably, of the pinion 15, which meshes into a gear 1!; on the periphery of the cylinder at the upper end. The lower end is supported upon rollers set in a vertical adjustable frame M, Fig. 3), adjusted by the device L, by means of which the inclination of the cylinder may be varied. The spout of the hopper ll projects into the cylinder-chamber at the upper end, so as to deliver the material thereto. The cylinder-chamber is provided with longitudinal flanges on its interior surfaces set radially, as shown at 46. It has also longitudinal heating-coils 17, supported about the axis of the cylinder and connected to a steam-supply pipe 18 (which is flexible to permit adjustment of cylinder) by means of suitable stuffing-boxes, which will permit the necessary rotary motion. The peat falls from the hopper ll into the upper end of the inclined cylinder and onto the lower part of the inner periphery thereof, and is immediately carried up by the rotation and by theflanges to until said flanges are brought to such an inclination that the peat slips off and falls. By reason of the general inclination of the cylinder it passes gradually and by repeated falls from the upper to the lower end. During this passage through the cylinder it is subjected to a blast of air driven or drawn through from the lower to the upper end. This may be heated or not. It is better that the air should be dry, as thereby it more readily absorbs the moisture from the peat; but the larger part of the moisture being extracted from the peat in the previous operations and the peat having not been reduced to a pasty condition it is loose and comparatively fibrous and itis readily heated as it passes through the cylinder, and in this heated and loose condition it falls through the current of air, exposing all its parts to the action of air, and thus readily parting with its remaining moisture. At the lower end of the cylinder it is discharged into a tub N. This is placed over and in connection with the compressingapparatus shown in Fig. 1 and also illustrated in Fig. l. The compressing apparatus works on the base illustrated in Fig. 1. The main operatingshaft 19 has gear-wheels 20, serving at the same time as fly-wheels, or any convenient means for rotating it. A crank and pitman 21 connects with a plunger 22, which works in a comprcssion-ehannel 23 and between the movable guides ll. The movable guides are operated by the rods 25 through toggles 2U,these being operated by eccentrics on the main shaft. The movable guides have wings 27, the outer faces of which are on a curve struck from the pivots of the guides, and they work closely in front of boxes 28, in which are plungers 2t), worked by levers 3d and rods 31, connected to eccentrics on the main shaft. The guides move outward far enough to engage the ends of the boxes, and when they are at their outer limit the parts are so arranged that the supplementary plungers move forward and push the material within the range of the guides, which are immediately moved inwardly and sweep the material in front of the plunger, which is then back. The toggles are then straight and lock the guides, so as to form a continuation of the channel in which the plunger works, and the material is compressed on the sides as well as front and rear as it is continuously pushed forward. The tub has a bottom 32, inclined from the center outwardly, covering the working parts with the exception of the space over the boxes 98, so that the material, as it falls in the top, fills these boxes every time the plungers are drawn back.

The cylinder is provided with an ordinary steam-jacket, preferably to increase its heating capacity, and I have also provided a steam-jacket about the channel in the compressing-machine, as shown at 3 1-, the steampipe connecting to the cylinder-jacket at 18'.

At the beginning of the operation of compressing I plaee a tight-fitting block in the channel, which serves as an obstruction, in order to get the'initial resistance, and as the material is pressed against this obstruction it atl'ords by its own friction sullicient; resistance to give the proper compression, and the TOR block is then forced out. Afterward the machine works by the friction of the material itself against the walls.

I have described the case B as made rectangular in form. There is a special purpose by this. It leaves a mass of the crude peat in the corners where the drainage-holes are, so that the mass of peat acts as a strainer through which the water is forced by the pressure. A triangular cross-section might be used, but the square cross-section is better.

From the description already given it will appear sufficient that in the operation of the machine the crude material is worked forward under pressure Without agitation. This agitation is what I especially avoid, since it breaks up the fibers and more thoroughly mixes the materials and more thoroughly absorbs the solid particles in the water, which renders it more difficnlt to extract the water and at the same time produces a past-y mass, which when formed into blocks is less cohercnt than the fibrous mass.

I claim as my invention- 1. 'A machine for the manufacture of peat fuel from the crude material, consisting of a tapering case having a tapering screw, a pair of hollow cylinders covered with an absorbent material and having perforations to the interior for drainage, and a spout connecting the bottom of the tapering case with the cylinders, substantially as described.

2. A machine for the manufacture of peat fuel from the crude material, consisting of a tapering case having a tapering screw, apair of hollow cylinders covered with an absorbent material and having perforations to the interior for drainage, and a spout connecting the bottom of the tapering case with the cylinders, and a pair of rubber-faced rollers arranged below the absorbent rollers and adapted to receive the material from the absorbent rollers, substantially as described.

A machine for the manufacture of peat fuel from the crude material, consisting of a tapering case having a tapering screw, a pair of cylinders covered with an absorbent material and having perforations fordrainage, and a spout connecting the bottom of the tapering case with the cylinders, and a pair of rubber-faced rollers arranged below the absorbent rollers and adapted to receive the material from the absorbent rollers, and a dryingcylinder connected to said rubber-faced rollers, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for reducing peat to fuel,

a tapering case formed of a series of flanged plates arranged with openings at their meeting edges.

5. The rectangular tapering drainage-case having a tapering screw and corners provided. with drainage holes, substantially as described.

(3. In combination with the vertically-arranged tapering case and its conveyer-screw vertically arranged, the cylinders having the absorbent covering and perforations to the interior, and a spout connected to the lower end of the conveyer-case and having a flattened mouth arranged between the rollers, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the drying mechanism of a peat-'inachine, the compressing mechanism consisting of a main drivingshaft, a plunger operated thereby, guides for moving the material laterally to bring it in front of the plunger, and supplemental plungers feeding the material to the guides, substantially as described, and mechanism for operating the guides and plungers, substantially as described.

8. The compressing mechanism consisting of a plunger and guides and their operatingtoggles, said guides having curved wings 27, the supplementary plungers, and mechanism for operating said plungers, the parts being arranged to operate substantially as described.

9. In a peat-machine and in combination with a suitable feed, a pair of rollers having perforations and covered with absorbent material, whereby the moisture is extracted from the material and discharged through the rollers, substantially as described.

' 10. In combination, atapering case having a tapering feed and compressing screw, a pair of cylinders inconnection with the bottom of the feed-case by means of a spout, a second pair of cylinders below the first pair, a drying-cylinder adapted to receive the material after its passage through the second pair of rollers and to agitate and dry-the same, and a compressing mechanism adapted to receive the material from the drying-cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARCHIBALD A. DICKSON.

\Vitncsses:

S. M. HOWARD, F. L. MIDDLETON.

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